Türkiye earns $500.8 million from chocolate and cocoa product exports in first half
Türkiye exported $500.781 million of chocolate and cocoa products in the January-June period. Industry representatives credited product quality, international trade fairs, improved packaging and access to ingredients such as pistachios and kadayıf.
Chocolate ranks second among sector exports
Türkiye earned $500.781 million from exports of chocolate and cocoa products in the January-June period, according to information compiled by Anadolu Agency from Turkish Exporters Assembly data and published by Haberler.com. The publication described the result as a record, although the figures provided did not include a comparison with previous periods.
The broader cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products sector shipped 5,290,036 tonnes to 212 countries and free zones during the six months. Those exports generated $5.848 billion. Sunflower seed was the largest product category by value at $663.938 million, followed by chocolate and cocoa products at $500.781 million.
Quality, fairs and packaging support sales
Mehmet Yıldırım, president of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce committee representing baklava, cakes and confectionery, attributed the chocolate and cocoa result to manufacturers achieving higher quality standards. He said producers buy and process cocoa before turning it into chocolate and confectionery for sale abroad.
Yıldırım also highlighted coordinated promotion by the Istanbul Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Exporters’ Association, which brings manufacturers together and takes them to trade fairs around the world. He said Turkish companies have made substantial progress in production, packaging and presentation in recent years by observing international markets and adapting to new formats.
Maintaining consistent standards and supporting quality with effective marketing will be necessary for Turkish producers seeking stronger recognition abroad, Yıldırım said. Switzerland’s established association with chocolate will be difficult to displace, but Türkiye can still secure a larger place in the international market and build recognition for Turkish chocolate.
Istanbul dominates manufacturing base
About 95% of the companies responsible for these exports are located in Istanbul, according to Yıldırım. Production also takes place in Gaziantep and Adana. Cocoa is imported or purchased, processed and shaped in Türkiye, then exported as higher-value finished products.
Yıldırım identified access to local ingredients as one reason Türkiye has been successful in producing products such as Dubai chocolate. High-quality pistachios and kadayıf are widely available domestically, while manufacturing quality and marketing reinforce that input advantage. The combination allows producers to participate in a fast-moving confectionery category without relying entirely on imported ingredients beyond cocoa.
Higher output could expand capacity
Further production growth could lead manufacturers to add capacity, employment and domestic value, Yıldırım said. That prospect matters particularly for Istanbul’s concentrated processing base and for ingredient-producing regions such as Gaziantep.
The export figures also point to the scale of chocolate and cocoa products within Türkiye’s wider processed-food portfolio. Their value was equivalent to more than three-quarters of sunflower seed exports, the sector’s leading category during the period. Future gains will depend on sustaining quality, improving packaging and maintaining access to overseas buyers through international fairs and marketing.
Yıldırım said Türkiye could eventually become known for chocolate alongside established foods such as baklava and kebab, although changing long-standing consumer perceptions will take time. He added that domestic sales of baklava and chocolate generally rise from October.
