The tourist hub of Antalya exports millions of flower stems annually to 73 countries, including the Netherlands, which is regarded as the global hub of floriculture. Antalya is also well-known in the floriculture industry because of its huge flower-producing area and the ability to produce flowers most of the year. With 650 million flower stems grown annually in the city, the sector brought approximately 135 million USD in export revenue by the end of 2023. The industry hopes to bring in 150 million USD in revenue by 2024.
Growers from Antalya have completed the season's final harvest in the greenhouses Antalya, leaving six months to complete their work in the higher altitude areas of Burdur and Isparta. The industry reached 87 million USD in exports throughout the first 6 months of the season, up by 1% compared to last year. With 45% of the cut flower production, 48% of the carnation production, and over 90% of the carnation exports in the country, Antalya continues to dominate the Turkish floriculture industry and remains the most prominent cut flower-producing city in the entire country.
Carnation was the most produced and exported variety this year, as it is every year. The other exported flower varieties also featured gerbera, ruscus, eucalyptus, and ornamental plants, with the red carnation ranking highest on the list. President Ali Candir of Antalya Commodity Exchange (ATB) explained that the primary export markets are the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Russia, adding that cut flowers are what make the city of Antalya so distinctive.
According to Candir, sector representatives in Turkey saw a 1% increase in exports compared to the same period last year, with a 4% growth in Antalya. They also reported a decrease in the profitability rate, stating that the production costs of the growers have experienced a 140% increase compared to the previous year. Costs grew dramatically whilst the increase in exchange rate lagged far behind this increase. Candir noted that clients abroad moved to the markets for sourcing instead of paying a higher price and underlined that if the exchange rate goes up more than the inflation, the sector will get a sigh of relief.
Candir noted that the majority of the city's production takes place on rented land and that growers are struggling to find suitable lands for flower production and added, "Rent for land has increased a lot. The majority of growers are considering to stop their growing activities. We might be able to create a success story if the regions that no longer meet the requirements for being forests are made available for production."
Additionally, according to Ali Candir, it was hard to get laborers for the agricultural sector. Candir noted that because of the social support available to them, the majority of the population tends to be lethargic. Candir said: "A social security system specific to the agricultural sector, which we have been focusing on for a long time, needs to be established. Our state provides significant social aid to our society. Some people can work but choose not to and live off through state aid programs. We need to bring these people back into the production. If we can bring it to the agricultural sector, we will not need to employ foreigners in our greenhouses."
Source: DHA