Food Processing Machinery Industry

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Turkey is the largest producer and exporter of agricultural products in the Near East and North Africa. Exports of agricultural commodities and food products in 2017 accounted to 16.9 billion Dollars and 10.8 % of Turkey’s total export earnings. Bread being the staple food of Turkey, cereals are of great importance in Turkish agriculture. In addition, Turkey has an important place among the major pulse producing countries and has the means of dominating the world trade. Turkish edible nuts and dried fruit production is quite high and dominates the world markets.

Turkey’s vast agricultural potential offers an extensive range of fruits and vegetables which are preserved in a variety of ways. Rapidly growing sectors of Turkey’s agro industry are frozen/canned and dried fruit and vegetable industry. Utilizing the advantages of its agricultural potential, Turkey has an important place among other countries regarding the quantity and quality of its vegetable oil, especially olive oil, production. With the technological advances and increased investments realized in the last years, the milling and pastry, the sugar confectionary, chocolate and cacao products, pasta and biscuits, fishery products, poultry, drinking water, alcoholic beverages are regarded as promising sectors for Turkish agro industry.

The above mentioned strong agricultural potential and Turkey’s food industry, changing lifestyles and tastes due to increased industrialization and urbanization, the increase in family income, and the decrease in available time for preparing meals have all resulted in a strong food processing sector. Accordingly, a large food processing sector has accelerated the development of the food processing machinery and equipment industry in Turkey. At present, the Turkish food processing machinery and equipment industry is the most modern in the Middle East, North Africa, Balkans, Baltic and Central Asia.

The Turkish food processing machinery industry produces every kind of machinery and equipment required for food processing industry and most parts and accessories. Flour and grain mill machinery, bakery and pasta making machinery, bakery ovens, industrial machinery for food and drink preparation, machinery for extraction/preparation of fats and oils, machinery for cleaning/ sorting/grading seeds and grains, cacao and confectionery machinery, presses and crushers for wine, fruit juice and beverages, pasteurizers and sterilizers, machinery for sugar manufacture, meat and poultry processing machinery, milking machinery, dairy machinery, machinery for the preparation of fruits and vegetables, cream separators and brewery machinery are the main food processing machinery and equipments in Turkey.

The majority of food processing machinery and equipment manufacturers in Turkey range from small to medium sized companies mainly located in Istanbul, Konya, Ankara, Izmir and Gaziantep. The line of products manufactured by these companies varies substantially from highly automated equipment to manual and basic models. Moreover, food processing machinery manufacturers are increasingly focusing on research & development activities in an attempt to comply with the demand for more sophisticated machinery and greater flexibility.

The food processing machinery and equipment industry has particular importance for Turkey due to its promising export potential. In this field, manufacturing firms were producing mainly for the domestic market until 1990. After 1990, the sector has also directed its attention to foreign markets. Recent developments in the demand for packaged food have resulted in a large food packaging sector and a considerable demand for packaging machinery. At present the Turkish packaging machinery sector meets domestic demand and has a remarkable capacity for exports.

EXPORTS

The Turkish food processing manufacturers/exporters follow European and international standards and norms. Companies exporting to the European Union affix the “CE Mark” under the “New Approach” Directives. The obligation to affix the “CE Mark” started in the Turkish domestic market in 2002. High engineering skills, product flexibility, continuous product development and adaptation, and efficient after-sales-services enable Turkey to export Turkish made food processing and packaging machinery and equipment all over the world at an increasing rate.

Table 1: Exports of Turkish Food Processing Industry (US$ 1,000)