Turkey has set an ambitious plan to increase its food trade with the UAE to $250 million by 2015, up 20 per cent from $103 million last year, said a top trade official.

Dr Murat Yalcintas, president of the executive board of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) announced this while unveiling Turkey's big plans for Sial Middle East, a leading event for professionals involved in buying and selling of food products, services and equipment, to be held in Abu Dhabi from November 21 to 23.

Determined in its efforts to broad-base and expand the country’s food exports, ICOC has doubled the size of the Turkish national pavilion at the food event, bringing in more than 40 exhibitors to develop new ways of co-operation with the UAE, he stated.

According to him, the total bilateral trade with the UAE in the first quarter surged 50 per cent to over $1.3 billion compared to last year.

The trade data indicated that food exports between the two countries during this period was $32 million, Dr Murat said, citing a ICOC report. This took their total food export volume to $103 million last year, the report added.

In recognition of Turkey’s vital contribution to the region’s top food industry event, organiser Turret Media and strategic partner Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority have chosen Turkey as the Country of Honour for 2011.

“The region has the potential to generate significant businesses and trade with the global food industry as it imports 90 per cent of its food requirements; and Turkey is able to export food surpluses as it traditionally produces more food than required for domestic consumption,” Dr Murat said.

He pointed out that Turkey’s food and agriculture sector and the region’s food security plan perfectly complement each other.

According to ICOC, the participation of 40 Turkish food companies at the food expo will increase their market share substantially in the UAE and the region.

In terms of quality, these companies are mostly the leaders of their sector exhibiting food products such as confectioneries, olives, organic food, dried fruit, coffee, pulses, grains and canned food, said Dr Murat.

Turkey leads the world markets in terms of both production and exports for some of these products, he added.

According to him, the total Turkish trade with GCC countries stood at over $10 billion. 'Due to the increasing recovery from global crisis, the first quarter alone witnessed over $3 billion worth of foreign trade between the two,' he added.

Dr Murat pointed out that the UAE was Turkey’s largest trading partner among the GCC countries, with nearly 42 per cent of share in the total Gulf trade. 'Turkish trade with UAE was $4 billion in 2010, he added.

On the leading food event, he said, “Our participation at expo will open the way to more effective partnerships between Turkish food companies and companies from the UAE and the region.”

“Turkey will become a safe address for foreign  investors, a key ally for its Arab friends and the right choice for economic cooperation in the food sector,” he added.

Sial ME is part of the world’s largest network of professional food events and is the latest exhibition to be launched in the Middle East as a part of the SIAL Group of events.-TradeArabia News Service