Attention-Grabbing Headline: Pasta Exports Reach a Whopping $720 Million in the First 9 Months!

The TIM Cereal Pulses Oil Seeds and Products Sector Board, together with the Turkish Pasta Industrialists Association and the Pasta Manufacturers and Industrialists Association, celebrated World Pasta Day on October 25 through a joint written statement. On this special day, which has been observed by the International Pasta Organization (IPO) since 1997 thanks to the initiatives of the Turkish pasta sector, the three organizations shared the sectoral goals of Turkey, one of the world's largest pasta producers.

"Our share in global pasta exports is close to 30%" Ahmet Tiryakioğlu, Chairman of the TIM Cereal Pulses Oil Seeds and Products Sector Board, stated that according to IPO's 2022 data, Turkey's share in world pasta trade has risen to 24.9% in terms of volume. He evaluated the sector's position in global trade as follows: "After Italy, which holds a 40% share in the 5 million tons of world pasta trade in 2022, Turkey ranks second with approximately 1.25 million tons of pasta exports. In 2014, our global share was 17.9% in terms of tonnage, and this figure reached 24.9% in 2022. In Turkey, which has the world's most longstanding cuisine in products made from cereals, there are globally recognized brands in the pasta industry. With its investments spread across the country, our pasta sector provides employment to around 50,000 people directly and indirectly, creating an economic value of 2 billion dollars annually with its domestic and foreign trade volume. In the first nine months of the year, we achieved pasta exports worth 720 million dollars, and despite the decline in average unit prices, we increased our exports by 6.4% in value terms. The journey of pasta exports, which began with 13 tons in 1970, will reach 1.5 million tons by the end of this year, meaning our global market share will approach 30%."

"We produce 2 million tons of pasta annually and consume 750,000 tons" Aykut Göymen, Chairman of the Turkish Pasta Industrialists Association, stated that the total production capacity of 25 pasta factories operating in the sector in Turkey is 3 million tons. He noted: "Annually, an average of 2 million tons of pasta is produced in our country, and around 750,000 tons, which corresponds to one-third of the total production, is consumed domestically. While annual pasta consumption per capita in Turkey is around 8.5 kilograms, it is 23 kilograms in Italy. The nutritional value of pasta, its satiating quality, the ability to be eaten as a single dish, ease of cooking, variety, affordability, long shelf life, sustainability, and plant-based nature are increasing pasta consumption worldwide each year. Turkish companies, seeing the commercial potential in this area, are significantly raising their capacities by renewing both their investments and technologies. Our pasta factories are concentrated geographically in Central Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia, and Western Anatolia, where durum wheat growth areas are located. Gaziantep, an important production region for the world, hosts 53% of Turkey's total capacity."

Göymen, emphasizing Turkey's capability as a brand country in the world for pasta due to high production capacity and top-level quality standards, stated: "Currently, depending on domestic and international demand, 1 million tons of our pasta production capacity is idle. We want to solidify Turkey's brand country identity to extend our potential in this field to new markets. As the Turkish pasta industrialists who gifted this special day to the world, we are continuing our preparations to celebrate World Pasta Day for the third time in Istanbul under our sector's auspices in 2025."

"We must place equal importance on quantity and branding in exports" Nihat Uysallı, Chairman of the Pasta Manufacturers and Industrialists Association, underlined that the Turkish pasta sector has achieved significant success in exports, thanks to the longstanding efforts of all stakeholders, especially industrialists, making Turkey hold an important position in the global pasta market. He commented: "As the homeland of durum wheat, our industry is very fortunate. Additionally, with the raw materials we have and our advanced technological industrial facilities, we have the potential to increase our share in global pasta trade even further. To activate this potential, we need to strengthen the image of 'Turkish Pasta' and focus more on increasing our value-added exports. By placing equal importance on quantity and branding in exports, we can claim a larger share of the global pasta market and contribute more to the development of our sector and national economy."

Uysallı concluded by highlighting that Turkey is exporting pasta to Japan, a country considered one of the world's leaders in food safety, stating: "It is our preference that, regardless of price and quality range, pasta demand worldwide is met by our country's industrialists. Therefore, we need to produce quality standards according to global demand. Additionally, being able to produce the world's finest durum wheat in the world's most special geography, and given a success story like Japan's, we are confident that we can elevate Turkish Pasta to its rightful place."