Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade (MOT) temporarily banned lemon exports April 8 because of a predicted weather-induced shortage but lifted the ban days later following negative reactions from lemon producers and exporters.
The MOT imposed the ban in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry following a cold snap that caused frost damage across several areas of the country. According to MOT, it was decided that “all measures should be taken in order to protect the food supply and safety, to facilitate public access to available food at reasonable prices, and to prevent manipulative price increases that may occur in food markets.”
Having not been consulted in advance, Turkish lemon exporters expressed concern, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) reported. According to USDA/FAS, the exporters noted that existing stocks were more than enough to meet Türkiye’s needs. They also noted the risk of domestic lemon producer prices falling and fear of permanently losing market share in key export markets during a critical period for lemon exports. The exporters emphasized that warehoused lemon stocks should have been taken into consideration before any export ban was considered.
USDA FAS reported that Turkish stocks are above average this year due to an earlier start to the harvest following favorable weather conditions early in the season.
In response to the industry concerns, the MOT on April 10 announced that the restriction on lemon exports would be temporarily lifted. The MOT cautioned, though, that price fluctuations in the domestic market would be closely monitored.
Turkish exporters believe that government interventions affecting exports should be gradually implemented to decrease sudden pressure on lemon producers and exporters. Turkish producers have expressed concern about the government’s approach to implementing trade bans, taxes/tariffs, etc., often without stakeholder consultations.
In 2022, the Turkish government gave specific authority to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to ban exports, when necessary, to stabilize domestic market conditions. Since then, Türkiye has temporarily banned exports of more than a dozen agricultural products. Export quotas have also been instituted, as needed, to regulate some exports.
Source: USDA/FAS
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