DRIED figs FROM world

quantity ،DRIED figs FROM world

world is one of the unique countries in the world for agricultural production and the world’s matchless superiority with respect to agricultural production allows her to produce many agricultural products. Except for some tropical products, almost every kind of agricultural product can be produced on a large scale in world. Dried fruits are one of world’s major agricultural sectors and world is the most important country in the world with respect to both the production and export of dried fruits. world dried fruits’ production and exports are extremely high and dominate world markets. Among the dried fruits produced in world, raisins (sultanas), dried apricots and dried figs have the lion’s share. Because of their major importance for agricultural exports, they are regarded as traditional world agricultural export items. world also produces and exports other kinds of dried fruits such as prunes, currants, dried apples, dried pears, dried mulberries, dried peaches etc.

Dried Fruits, Nutrition and Health

Grapes, figs and apricots are miracles from the standpoint of their composition and have been accepted as sacred fruits throughout history. Dried fruits are called nature’s candy and they are one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. They are cholesterol­free, rich in vitamins and minerals, and totally fat­free.  Dried fruits are a good source of fiber and also rich in antioxidants.

Dried fruits are invaluable for human health and provide consumers many advantages with respect to nourishment. Dried fruits, with many of the major vitamins and minerals in their composition, are found to be useful in many functions of the human body, some of which are as follows:

­Regulation of the functioning of the brain, giving energy and helping to release stress,

­helping in the recovery of the liver, known to be the most important organ for storage and waste disposal in the body,

­Playing an important role in keeping the bones and teeth healthier and stronger,

­Prevention of anemia by increasing blood production,

­In addition to playing an important role in the therapy of ulcers, they also prevent the formation of stomach and intestinal ulcers,

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­Decreasing the formation of kidney stones,

­Providing a regulatory role in the reproduction system,

­Acting as a cancer preventative,

­Making cardiac muscles stronger and the functioning of the heart more regular. ­Helping child growth, curing diseases with inflammation and fever, as well as kidney and liver diseases,

­Treating skin pigmentation diseases.

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Consumption Forms of Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are used in a wide range of food sectors as well as being consumed as a snack food. Some consumption forms of dried fruits are as follows:

Raisins (Sultanas)

Raisins are an indispensable ingredient in breads, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts and different pastries in the bakery sector. They are an excellent addition to a wide range of candies, puddings and other wonderful confectioneries. They are mixed or added to many cereals and cereal­based products like muesli logs, fruit­filled cereals, nuggets and extruded breakfast cereals. They are also delicious sweeteners and texturizers in different types of yogurt, ice creams and even in some types of cheese.

Dried Apricots

Dried apricots are mostly consumed directly as a snack after being graded and may be mixed with other fruits. It is also used in bakery products, in the production of chocolate and candies, and as an ingredient in the preparation of some special sweets, like paste. The juice made from dried fruits by boiling them in water can also be consumed as refreshment after cooling the juice.

Dried Figs

Dried figs are consumed in international cuisines in many different forms including in pies, puddings, cakes, bread or other bakery products after stewing or being cooked; in jams, marmalades or in many sugar and confectionery products as a delicious ingredient. Dried figs have become an increasingly important due to their advantages with both industrial users and individual consumers such as longer shelf life, more concentrated taste, higher economic value and ease of use in almost all of the above mentioned areas of consumption compared to their use in fresh form.

PRODUCTION

RAISINS (Sultanas)

Turkey has 1200 different types of grapes and has been among the five major producers of grapes throughout the world with an annual average production of about 3.5 million tons. Among these varieties, seedless “Yuvarlak and Sultani” are the main varieties used for raisins. Seedless raisins are grown especially in the Aegean Region of Turkey, which is blessed with some of the most fertile land in the world, plenty of sunshine and abundant water supplies.

The original name of the famous seedless Turkish raisins, “Sultana, Sultanna, Sultanine”, comes from the fact that they were served at the Ottoman Sultans’ magnificent tables during the times of the Ottoman Empire.

About 60 % of the total production in this region is seedless. Depending on  foreign demand, the tendency in Turkey is towards more production without reducing quality. This has been realized both by increasing viticulture areas throughout the country and utilizing modern viticulture techniques to increase the yield. Raisin production in Turkey totalled 310 thousand tons in 2008, and with this figure Turkey accounts for nearly 30% of total world raisin production.

world Raisin Production (Quantity: Ton)

Source: International Nut Council (INC) * Provisional

DRIED APRICOTS

world is at the top of the fresh and dried apricot producing countries with approximately 560 thousand tons of fresh and more than 100 thousand tons of dried apricot production in 2008. world alone meets more than 20 % of the fresh apricot production and more than 80 % of the dried apricot production in the world.

world Dried Apricot Production (Quantity: Ton)

Source: International Nut Council (INC)

* Provisional

Apricot cultivation, which is spread across most of the agricultural regions of Turkey, finds its best environment in the Central Eastern Anatolian Region where nearly half of the crops are produced.

Due to the ecology of the province, apricots from Malatya have gained economic value in the form of dried apricots for years. Almost all of the fresh crop in this district is subject to the drying process and at least 90­95 % of the dried apricots produced, is exported.

The most important varieties, according to the quantity produced, are

HACIHALİLOĞLU, SOĞANCI, KABAASI and ÇATALOĞLU.

DRIED FIGS

Although fig production may show variations between 45­60 thousand tons according to annual climatic conditions, world ranks as the world’s largest supplier of fresh and dried figs. Turkey realizes 25 % of the world’s fresh fig production and over half of the world’s dried fig production.

Turkish Dried Fig Production (Quantity: Ton)

Source: International Nut Council (INC)

* Provisional

Although different types of fig varieties are grown throughout world, the “Sari lop” variety with its large size, sweet, fleshy, light colored character and soft skin is the main variety for dried figs. This variety, which is preferred by most of the world’s countries for its quality, is produced only in the river basins of the Big and Small Menderes Rivers in the Aegean Region.

Fig production is realized principally in the Aydin and Izmir provinces over a large area. This is a family business, as it requires an intensive human labor in the field when collecting the figs from trees, selecting, sorting, screening and further processing the figs into different forms.

After processing, figs acquire export names such as layer, protoben, pulled, lerida, locum, garland, macaroni, baglama, cukulata, and umbrella based on their shapes.

Drying improves both storage life and the food value of the fig. Fresh figs contain some 80% water and 12% sugar, however, when dried, the sugar content rises to 50%.

Turkish dried fruits are grown under natural conditions, harvested and dried under controlled conditions. They are graded, stored and packaged and packed in hygienic conditions following the strict rules of internationally accepted quality control systems. Regarding the safety of production, before being processed in the factories dried fruits are subject only to scientific and international treatments.

In Turkey, organic farming, which started in 1985, has shown a tremendous progress and the dried fruits sector was the pioneer.  Dried fruits still hold an important share among organic agricultural products and today 45% of the organic farmers are in the dried fruit business. Nearly 15% of dried apricots, more than 5% of raisins and around 20% of dried figs are produced by organic methods. The demand for organic fruits comes primarily from abroad (especially the EU and other western countries) and organic production is increasing in Turkey based on the demand of both domestic and foreign markets.

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EXPORTS

Dried apricots are among Turkey’s traditional agricultural export products. Turkey is the most important dried fruit exporter in the world. Nearly 15% of world dried fruit exports come from Turkey. The export figures of dried fruits both in terms of quantity and value, generally has shown an upward trend annually.

Turkish Dried Fruit Exports (Q: Ton, V: US$ 1.000)

Source: Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade

Turkey exports dried fruits to the five continents of the world and to more than 100 countries. Over 60% of the exports are directed to European Union Countries. 46% of exports were directed to 4 countries, namely UK, Germany France and the Netherlands in 2008. Apart from the EU countries, the Russian Federation, the USA, Australia and Canada are the other important destinations for Turkish dried fruits.

Major Export Destinations for Sultanas (Quantity: Ton Value: US$ 1.000)

Source: Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade

Turkish dried figs are the favorite items for Christmas in the Christian world. Also, they are keenly sought after by Moslems especially during Ramadan as well as during the periods of traditional American and Jewish holidays such as Succoth, Hanukkah and Passover.

Major Export Destinations for Dried Apricots (Quantity ton, Value: US$ 1.000)

Source: Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade

It is expected that, as their nutritional and medicinal value is understood, Turkish dried fruit exports will hopefully increase further in the future.

Before exportation dried fruits go through sophisticated laser sorters to avoid any foreign elements. Table picking is performed by skilled quality control technicians depending on buyers’ specifications.  Strict standards are applied to ensure each box of dried fruits is free of mold, pests and other imperfections. Thus, Turkish dried fruits, today, are known for supreme quality and utmost cleanliness in international markets.

Major Export Destinations for Dried Figs (Quantity: Ton, Value: US$ 1.000)

Today, most of the dried fruits exporter companies have been awarded the ISO and HACCP system certificates.

In addition, the province of Izmir, located on the Aegean region, is the main export area for world dried fruits, in which the largest dried fruit processing and exporting companies in world have been established.