The Turkish pasta industry, one of the most important players in the world pasta industry, showed great interest in the workshop titled “Pasta Industry in Turkey, General Evaluation and Future Expectations” held in Gaziantep, the capital of pasta. In the workshop, a roadmap was drawn for the sector.

“Pasta Industry, General Evaluation and Future Expectation Workshop in Turkey” was held in cooperation with the Food Innovation Platform of Turkey (TÜGİP), Gaziantep Commodity Exchange (GTB), Pasta Industrialists Association of Turkey (TMSD) and Association of Pasta Manufacturers and Industrialists (MÜSAD). In the workshop where pasta production, consumption, and trade in the world and in Turkey were evaluated, pasta producers expressed their problems, demands and suggestions especially regarding the raw material and foreign market. 

Along with pasta industrialists, representatives of public institutions, academics and industry professionals also participated in the workshop led by the Turkish Food Innovation Platform.

In the statement of TÜGİP, it was informed that 3 million tons of pasta is produced annually in Turkey and half of it is exported, generating an income of 800 million dollars. It was emphasized that the pasta industry aims to increase this export to the level of 2 billion dollars by increasing this import also by unit value.

In the workshop where pasta production, consumption and trade in the world and in Turkey were discussed in detail; the problems, demands, and suggestions of pasta producers, especially related to raw materials and foreign markets, during the journey of the product from the field to the fork were assessed.

MOTHERLAND OF DURUM WHEAT: ANATOLIA

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Gaziantep Commodity Exchange Board Chairman Mehmet Akıncı said that Anatolian and Mesopotamian lands are the motherland of durum wheat. Pointing out that the strategic importance of pasta was better understood during the pandemic period, Akıncı said, “Our pasta industry has made a significant breakthrough in recent years. Our sector representatives are decisively raising the bar for success with their advanced technological infrastructure and equipment. Our pasta producers earned 780 million dollars from their exports of 1 million 370 thousand tons of products to 160 countries in 2021. Our city and region, which forms the pillar of general production, has achieved approximately 75 percent of this export. We hope that our exporters will exceed 1 billion dollars in foreign trade this year.”

“WE ARE THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST EXPORTER”

Pasta Industrialists Association of Turkey (TMSD) Chairman Aykut Göymen also expressed his satisfaction that the workshop was held in Gaziantep, one of the important production centers of pasta. Noting that a total of 25 factories operate in the pasta industry in Turkey and the industry has a large production capacity of 3 million tons, Göymen said that pasta factories in Turkey are concentrated in the Southeastern Anatolia and Central Anatolia Regions due to the proximity to the demanded raw material and easy access to domestic and foreign markets.

Noting that Turkey is the world’s second-largest exporter in the sector, Göymen went on as follows: “When we look at the general export distribution, we make a significant export to Far East countries and countries outside of South America, Africa, and the European Union. Our industry provides 40 thousand of people with direct and indirect employment. Our country is one of the largest pasta producers in the world, but we rank 9th in pasta consumption. Our 2021 per capita pasta consumption is around 8.5 kilograms. We are the second largest producer and the second largest exporter in the world, but we are deprived of the two largest importing markets in the world. One of them is the European Union and the other is the United States of America. A quota is imposed in the EU against Turkish Pasta, and there is anti-dumping in the USA. While Turkey exports around 1 million 400 thousand tons excluding EU countries, Italy exports 656 thousand tons merely to EU countries.

GAZİANTEP, THE CAPITAL OF PASTA IN THE WORLD

Murat Bozkurt, Board Member of the Pasta Producers and Industrialists Association (MÜSAD), said that they support and attach importance to all efforts that will contribute to the image of Turkish Pasta. Bozkurt emphasized that value-added production, one of the main topics of the workshop, is one of the top priorities of their associations. “I would like to point out this. Gaziantep is the capital of the world in terms of capacity in pasta,” he said.

Sustainability and Foreign Trade Specialist Dr. Meral Gündüz, the last speaker of the event, stated that the way from field to fork in sustainable pasta production in the world starts with durum wheat production and continues with innovation in the processing industry and packaging. Dr. Gündüz gave examples of sustainability in the pasta industry in the world and shared about contract agriculture and regenerative agriculture practices in plant production, renewable energy, and product design practices in pasta production.

Within the scope of the workshop, two different panels were held with the themes of ‘Problems of Pasta Industry and Solution Suggestions’ and ‘Future Expectations of Pasta Industry’, under the moderatorship of TÜGİP Food Industry Coordinator Prof. Dr. Mehmet Pala.

Highlights of the workshop:

 Taking sustainable contract farming and cost-reducing measures for durum wheat supply security, soil quality and use of suitable seeds, reorganization of standards.

 Removal of the European Union tariff quota in force against Türkiye’s pasta export.

 Reviewing production, R&D, and marketing strategies in order to increase the pasta export value which is $700/ton.

 Giving importance to branding.

 Increasing the per capita consumption of pasta, which is 8.5 kg in our Türkiye, and raising awareness of the benefits of the society.

 Considering new trends in pasta consumption such as functional pasta products, functional ingredients, pasta with prebiotic fiber, pasta with high fiber, low calories, and low glycemic index.

 Using new technologies in pasta production, developing innovative product and packaging designs.

 Increasing the use of renewable energy in the pasta industry.