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KRT / Olcay Aydilek's EVDEKİ HESAP: Fraud and Adulteration in Olive Oil in Turkey

Olcay Aydilek:

We have a guest with us today, Prof. Dr. Mücahit Taha Özkaya, a faculty member at Ankara University's Faculty of Agriculture. Welcome, and we are glad to have you here. Our other guest is Dr. Coşkun Can Gözü Kocaman from Topal Merkez Yürekleri. Mücahit hocam, welcome once again. We are glad to have you here.

Now, especially in the recent statements made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, we see that many companies are releasing products into the market that threaten human health through adulterated or counterfeit food products. One of the most important products is olive oil. You have conducted many studies on olive oil, hocam. First, what are your observations regarding adulterated or counterfeit food products? Is there a relationship between this issue and inflation or the cost of living? Secondly, what can you tell us about the current state of olive oil production in Turkey?

Fraud and Adulteration in Olive Oil in Turkey

Prof. Dr. Mücahit Taha Özkaya:Let's start with the overview. Turkey's vegetable oil demand is approximately 3 million tons. We import about 1.5 million tons of this. Worldwide, around 230 million tons of vegetable oil are produced, of which 3 million tons are olive oil. Turkey's olive oil demand is such that it could consume all the olive oil produced in the world. Approximately 98 countries produce olive oil globally, and 90% of this production comes from five countries: Spain, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, and Turkey. Turkey ranks fifth in this list. Last year, around 300,000 tons were produced, and this year, we expect production to reach 500,000 to 600,000 tons. However, climate changes and increased yields have started to affect quality, leading to some challenges.

Olive oil is an expensive product, so counterfeiting is inevitable. People counterfeit expensive products and sell them as cheap olive oil. This is a deceptive practice aimed at misleading consumers. For example, sunflower oil is mixed into olive oil and sold as cheap olive oil. Consumers think they are buying cheap olive oil, but in reality, they are purchasing sunflower oil. This is a common issue in the market.

There is no such thing as cheap olive oil anywhere in the world. Spain produces the cheapest olive oil in the world because of its massive production capacity. In Turkey, we do not have such a large production capacity, so olive oil prices are higher. There is a balance between olive oil production and consumption in Turkey. Turkey consumes approximately 200,000 tons of olive oil and has a stock of around 90,000 to 100,000 tons. Even if all this stock were sold, it would not be enough to cover the global deficit.

There are also some challenges in olive oil exports. Drought in Spain has reduced olive oil production, which has affected prices in Turkey. Export bans were imposed, but later lifted. Turkey's olive oil exports need more promotion and branding efforts to compete in the global market.

Quality is crucial in olive oil production. The compounds in olive oil give it bitterness and pungency. These characteristics determine the quality of olive oil. Consumers need laboratory tests to understand the quality of olive oil. Therefore, it is important to choose reliable brands.

Olcay Aydilek:

Olive oil prices go through many stages from producer to consumer. Production costs, harvesting costs, transportation, and packaging all affect the price of olive oil. As a result, there is a price difference between the producer and the consumer. While producers sell olive oil for 200-250 lira, the price in markets can go up to 300-400 lira.

Mehmet Semerci:This year, the biggest challenge for us has been the rising costs for producers, along with other input prices. Last year, the harvesting cost was equivalent to one and a half kilos of oil. In our region, mechanical harvesting is not possible due to geographical and climatic conditions. This year, harvesting costs have increased by almost 100%. For example, if you harvest 100 kilos of olives, you pay the equivalent in harvesting costs to your workers. This situation has put a lot of pressure on producers.

In previous years, olive oil prices had increased, but this year prices are trending downward. So far, there has been a decline of about 40%. Olive oil that was purchased from producers for 300 lira or more in previous days is now being bought for around 200 lira. This has created serious difficulties for producers.

This year, Turkey is expected to produce around 475,000 tons of olive oil. However, due to drought, a significant portion of table olive production has shifted to oil production. Therefore, we estimate that this year's production will be around 500,000 tons.

Olcay Aydilek:

In conclusion, Turkey has significant potential in olive oil production and consumption. However, this potential needs to be better utilized through quality production, branding, and promotional efforts. Strengthening inspections and combating counterfeit products are crucial for consumers to access reliable and high-quality olive oil.




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TARIM HAYVANCILIK VE GIDA TEKNOKENTİ Ankara Üniversitesi Teknokent Ek Alanı (Tarım, Hayvancılık ve Gıda Merkezi)Kalaba Mah. Kütükçü Alibey Cad. No: 2, A Blok 2. Kat İç Kapı No: 213/B Keçiören / ANKARA

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