The celebration of October 25 as the World Pasta Day was accepted with the offer made by Turkish pasta industrialists to the International Pasta Organization (IPO). World Pasta Day is of great importance in terms of emphasizing the importance of pasta for adequate and balanced nutrition by the IPO.

Pasta, the history of which goes back to ancient times, brings taste, health and practicality to the tables of millions of people every day. Consumed by people of all ages, pasta has a high nutritional value, delicious taste, affordable price and long shelf life, and is exceeding what is expected of a food. World Pasta Day has been celebrated every year on 25 October since 1998 in order to emphasize the importance of pasta that enables people to be fed with economical, satisfying and delicious meals.

The celebration of October 25 as the World Pasta Day was accepted with the offer made by Turkish pasta industrialists to the International Pasta Organization (IPO). World Pasta Day is of great importance in terms of emphasizing the importance of pasta for adequate and balanced nutrition by the IPO.

Turkish pasta industry representatives made statements for this day: TURKEY RANKS SECOND IN WORLD PASTA EXPORTS Mahsum Altunkaya, Chairman of TIM Cereals Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Sector Board: Pasta consumption is growing rapidly in Turkey as it is worldwide. Pasta was among strategic products during the pandemic process. Turkey ranks second in the world in pasta exports. I congratulate the producers and exporters who made great efforts in pasta production and exports.

Pasta is also among the most important export products in Turkey’s cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products sector. Pasta consumption is increasing day by day in Turkey as it is worldwide. Turkey’s annual pasta exports exceeded 600 million dollars. Pasta sector in Turkey has come to an important point. Gaziantep is the center of production for the pasta sector as well as for many other sectors. In terms of food products export, it is seen that the most exported product from the Southeastern Anatolia Region is pasta.

[caption id="attachment_3989" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Mahsum Altunkaya[/caption]

Based on 2019 export figures, Turkey posted a total of 579 million 735 thousand dollars of exports in classical pasta, which we all know and also known as eggless-uncooked. 425 million 981 thousand dollars of these export were made by Southeast exporters. In the first 9 months of 2020, Turkey's overall pasta exports were 558 million 198 thousand dollars, 411 million 875 thousand dollars of which were made from the Southeast.

Today, Turkey is one of the world’s leading pasta manufacturers, and is second largest in Europe, and fourth largest pasta exporter in the world, considering all types of pasta. If we consider only the classic pasta type that is known to all of us, which is defined as eggless and uncooked by the code 1902.19 in customs records, our country ranks second in exports in the world after Italy. Approximately 14% of the world’s total exports in terms of value of these pastas are made from our country. In 2019, these pastas were exported at the level of 579 million dollars. Approximately 425 million dollars of this figure, or approximately 74%, was made from the Southeastern Anatolia region. Considering that the total exports of uncooked-eggless pasta are around 4.2 billion dollars, more than 10% of the total exports of this product in the world are made from the Southeastern Anatolia region. Pasta, which is one of the basic nutrients of a healthy diet, should be made from high quality durum wheat for a rich carbohydrate and protein nutrition. Turkish pasta is highly nutritious because Turkey is one of the largest high-quality durum wheat producers in the world. Thanks to this advantage, today, Turkey is one of the world’s largest pasta producer countries and Turkish pasta is consumed in 155 countries. Today, of course, is an important day for the pasta industry, and I wholeheartedly congratulate all of our pasta producers and exporters who successfully fulfill their mission while celebrating October 25, World Pasta Day.

PASTA CONSUMPTION INCREASE IN COVID-19 PROCESS Abdulkadir Kulahcioglu, Chairman of Pasta Industrialists Association of Turkey: October 25 has been celebrated as “World Pasta Day” since 1998 with the proposal of our association. Pasta is a healthy and economical product that can be accessed by every segment in the world. There are many traditional pasta dishes around the world. Researches have revealed that pasta is by far the most popular food in the world.

[caption id="attachment_3966" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Abdülkadir Külahçıoğlu[/caption]

Pasta consumption in Turkey has increased during Covid-19 process. Internal sales data obtained from our members show that pasta consumption in our country increased by 25 percent this year, and that consumers chose pasta as an easy-to-store, healthy, easy-to-cook, sustainable and favorite food in this difficult period. According to an international study conducted by the DOXA research organization, on the occasion of on World Pasta Day, with more than 5,000 people in countries that account for more than one-third of the global pasta consumption, one in four consumers consumed more pasta during the stay at home, and global consumption rose by 24 percent. This is a data in parallel to the increase in consumption of our country.

Turkey, which carried out 17.5 percent of the total global pasta trade of 7 million 267 thousand tons in 2019, exported 940 thousand 502 tons of pasta in the first eight months of this year.

ZEROING CUSTOMS DUTIES IMPORTANT The industry imports wheat for pasta exports. The zeroing of customs duties on wheat imports, which was published in the Official Gazette on October 21 and entered into force, was an important precautionary step at the right time. The latest tax regulation will both ease the exports of the flour and pasta sectors and contribute to price stability in the domestic market. Pasta exports income not only brings foreign currency to our country, but also the advantage in the production costs obtained from this is used as a price advantage in the production of market branded products in the domestic market. On this occasion, consumers in the domestic market find the opportunity to have pasta at more affordable prices.

SALES UP BY 153 PERCENT DURING THE PANDEMIC Musa Ozguclu, Chairman of the Board of Oba Makarna: The first stage of producing quality and delicious pasta starts with the selection of quality wheat, which is the main ingredient of pasta. Pasta is produced by blending semolina obtained from hard durum wheat with water.

Extensive research has been done on the subject. According to the results of the research conducted by the British charity Oxfam by interviewing 16 thousand people from 17 countries, the most popular food in the world is pasta. It is not accidental that pasta is loved. Pasta, which is a natural carbohydrate source obtained by the combination of semolina and water, is both practical, delicious and a food with high nutritional value. It is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals that are essential for our body. In addition, pasta is rich in vitamins B1, B2, iron, phosphorus, potassium and protein.

The importance of pasta in nutrition was better understood during the pandemic process. Because it is practical, pasta serves many purposes in our developing and changing world. While the short cooking time saves time, being a tasty and substantial food is practical and savior for the meal. Pasta with various features adapts to the taste of all kinds of consumers. Therefore, it is among the most preferred foods by the consumer. In terms of consumption, especially during the pandemic period, there is a large increase in the sales of basic food products such as pasta and flour. Pasta sales increased by 153 percent in the mentioned period. Pasta is among the most preferred foods during the pandemic period.

The pandemic period has begun to change many things in our lives, from economy to politics, from education to consumption. Especially our consumption habits... We are in a period when many things that were not used to be our new normals. When it comes to our lives, we cannot think rationally. In a possible panic or danger, our brain gives survival alarms and wants to secure itself. This directly affects our behavior. The situation we are experiencing these days, called "panic buying", is exactly the equivalent of this. Changes in the consumption habits of the consumer cause companies to sell their products in different markets. One of these markets is e-commerce, which is one of the results of our digitalizing world. As Oba Makarna, we have been in the e-commerce market in order to increase the accessibility of our products and to meet the needs of the consumer in the best way.

EMPLOYMENT FOR 35 THOUSAND PEOPLE Pasta has an important place in the economies of countries. In addition to being an indispensable product for our nutrition today, pasta also contributes greatly to the national economy. The annual exports of the pasta sector, which employs approximately 35 thousand people, exceed 600 million dollars.

[caption id="attachment_3998" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Musa Özgüçlü[/caption]

OBA Makarna exports to more than 90 countries, and according to TIM research, it has been the export leader in the pasta sector for the last 6 years. Oba Makarna, which is one of the well-established companies of Turkey pasta industry, is continuing its claim in the sector with new flavors apart from pasta. Oba Makarna, which brings a new breath to the noodle category, especially with its Obamie brand, aims to get full points from the consumer. Obamie Noodle, which took its place on the shelves, is rapidly progressing to become the strategic product of the future.

12 MILLION TONS OF PASTA PRODUCED ANNUALLY According to 2019 data of International Pasta Organization (IPO), the average worldwide annual production of pasta is 12 million tons. With 1.4 million tons of production, Turkey ranks after Italy and the US, rising from 5th place to the 3rd. In annual consumption per person, it rose from 18th to 8th with an average of 8.5 kg. In the light of all this information, as Oba Makarna, we are hopeful and proud on behalf of our country. We sincerely celebrate the October 25 World Pasta Day and believe that we will achieve many successes in the pasta industry.