Turkey's banana production up 32.8% in 2020

By Mustafa Calkaya

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's banana production increased 32.8% to reach 728,133 tons in 2020, thanks to the efforts by the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, according to official data.

The ministry's Alata Horticultural Research Institute and Bati Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute carried out 15 projects to boost yield and quality in banana production, according to information obtained by Anadolu Agency from the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies.

With research and development studies, approximately 3 out of 4 of the annual banana need of the country started to be met from domestic production.

Turkey’s Mersin and Antalya are leading provinces in banana production in the country.

Banana production was nearly 550,000 tons in 2019, and some 500,000 tons in 2018.

The country's banana exports were 22.4 tons last year.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul.