Turkey earns $60.989 million from dried tomato exports in first half of 2026
Turkey exported 18,301 tonnes of dried tomatoes to 91 countries in January-June 2026, generating $60.989 million. The United States was the largest market, while the industry is targeting $100 million in exports for the full year.
Exports reach 91 countries
Turkey exported 18,301 tonnes of dried tomatoes to 91 countries during the first six months of 2026, earning $60.989 million, according to Aegean Exporters’ Associations data reported by Ajans Haber and Star. The performance highlights the commercial role of dried tomatoes within Turkey’s broader tomato-processing industry and puts the sector more than halfway toward its $100 million full-year export target.
The United States was the largest destination by value, purchasing $16.053 million of the product. Italy ranked second with $8.864 million, followed by the United Kingdom with $5.344 million. Together, the three markets accounted for $30.261 million, or close to half of first-half export revenue. European countries and the United States remain core outlets, although consumption has also recently increased in Brazil, according to Torbalı Chamber of Commerce Chairman Abdulvahap Olgun.
Large tomato crop supports processing
Turkey produces more than 14 million tonnes of tomatoes annually, making it the world’s third-largest producer after China and India, Star reported. Most production is concentrated in Antalya, Mersin and İzmir. Fresh-market sales remain important, but tomatoes are also processed into paste, sauces and dried products, allowing producers and processors to supply markets with different specifications and shelf-life requirements.
Dried tomatoes are among the higher-value products made from the crop. İzmir producer and exporter Kemal Saygıner said an average of approximately 15 kilograms of fresh tomatoes is required to produce 1 kilogram of dried tomatoes. Applying that ratio to exported finished product illustrates the sector’s substantial demand for raw tomatoes, although the sources did not provide an exact fresh-tomato equivalent for the first-half shipments.
Labour-intensive production serves different markets
The processing season begins in July, when harvested tomatoes are transported by truck and tractor to drying grounds. Workers cut the tomatoes in half, after which they are salted or treated with sulphur depending on customer requirements. They remain under the sun for about one week before being cleaned, graded and packed at processing facilities. Finished products are placed in cold storage until orders arrive and are prepared according to the standards of their destination markets.
End uses differ across countries. Olgun said Turkish dried tomatoes are used in pizza, pasta and sauces in Italy, while demand in the United States and Brazil is increasingly linked to hamburgers. This variety gives Turkish suppliers access to food manufacturers, restaurant supply chains and ingredient distributors rather than relying on a single retail segment. Reaching the $100 million annual target would require a further $39.011 million in export revenue during the second half of 2026. Product availability is supportive: Olgun said the Torbalı district, a leading dried-tomato production centre, is experiencing an abundant crop this year.
