Turkey broke its record on aquaculture exports in 2020 according to data by TurkStat, Turkish Statistical Institute. The industry targets to double the total amount within two years.

Aquaculture exports from Turkey surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2020. The country's exports of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and other aquatic invertebrates, continued to increase last year, TurkStat figures showed.

The country's aquaculture exports were $744.56 million in 2016, $797.25 million in 2017, $879.59 million in 2018, $962.23 million in 2019 and over $1 billion in 2020.

The top destination of Turkish aquaculture exports is the Netherlands with $133.08 million. It is followed by Russia with $131.9 million, Italy with $121.45 million and Greece with $81.24 million.

Ramazan Özkaya, the Chairman of the Central Union of Fisheries Cooperatives, said Turkey's main export items in aquaculture are trout, bream and sea bass.

Stating that Turkey ranks first in trout exports to Europe and products are being shipped to every point of the continent, Özkaya said that they are even exporting tuna to Japan.

Özkaya said that approximately 400 thousand tons of fish are produced annually through aquaculture in Turkey and added, "The annual production target of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry from aquaculture is 600 thousand tons. New breeding areas have been declared in Adana, İskenderun, and Mersin. The production figures are going to increase in these areas. In addition, we continue to work towards the goal of exporting 2 billion dollars of aquaculture products by 2023 set by the ministry."

The country's aquaculture imports were $143.1 million last year.