Türkiye’s Nine-Month Tomato Exports Rise 4.19% to $304.2 Million
Türkiye exported $304.171 million of tomatoes to 49 markets in January-September 2026, up 4.19% year on year. Romania was the largest buyer, followed by Russia and Bulgaria, while the industry expects the current pace to lift full-year sales above the 2025 total.
Export revenue advances despite fewer destinations
Türkiye’s tomato export revenue reached $304.171 million in January-September 2026, an increase of 4.19% from $291.912 million in the same period of 2025, according to data from the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters’ Associations reported by Yeni Alanya and Memurlar.net. The country supplied tomatoes to 49 markets during the nine-month period.
The result brings Türkiye close to its full-year 2025 performance, when exporters shipped more than 402,000 tonnes of tomatoes to 51 countries and generated $401.193 million. Although the number of destinations reported for the first nine months of 2026 was below the previous full-year figure, export earnings continued to grow from the comparable period.
Romania accounts for the largest sales value
Romania was Türkiye’s leading tomato market, purchasing $67.637 million in January-September. Russia ranked second at $32.618 million, while Bulgaria followed with $30.438 million. Together, the three markets generated $130.693 million, underlining the importance of nearby European and regional buyers to Turkish growers, greenhouse operators and exporters.
Romania alone represented more than one-fifth of Türkiye’s reported tomato export revenue for the period. The gap between Romania and the next two destinations also shows the degree to which the nine-month result depended on demand from the leading market. Russia and Bulgaria nevertheless remained substantial outlets, each accounting for more than $30 million in sales.
Murat Yılmaz, vice-president of the Greenhouse Investors and Producers Association, told Anadolu Agency that the improvement was positive for both the industry and the national economy. He said climate conditions and production problems had affected the sector’s export performance in 2025.
Current pace could exceed the 2025 total
Average monthly tomato exports reached approximately $33.8 million during the first nine months of 2026, Yılmaz said. To surpass the $401.193 million recorded in all of 2025, exporters would need about $97 million in the final three months, equivalent to a monthly average of roughly $32.3 million. On that basis, maintaining the current pace would be sufficient to move the annual total above last year’s level.
Export value per kilogram is another important measure for the industry. According to Yılmaz, the average export value rose to approximately $1.56 per kilogram in the first half of 2026. He said this indicated that Turkish tomatoes could be marketed at higher values, while stressing that volumes and unit revenue should be assessed alongside total sales.
Modern greenhouse investment is central to the sector’s expansion plans. Yılmaz said technology-equipped facilities allow producers to supply standardized, high-quality tomatoes over a longer part of the year, supporting more regular deliveries to foreign customers. Higher quality and productivity could also strengthen Türkiye’s competitive position without relying solely on greater physical volumes.
The industry is seeking to diversify beyond its established European customers. Yılmaz identified the Far East, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and North America as regions where Türkiye should build a stronger presence. The objective, he said, is not only to sell more into existing destinations, but also to establish durable markets capable of supporting higher-value exports.
