Hazelnut Playing for Peak in Eastern Black Sea Exports: Record Increase in the First 6 Months

Doğu Karadeniz İhracatçılar Birliği (DKİB) Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Selçuk İskender made a comprehensive economic assessment regarding the first six months of the year and shared the region's trade performance with the public. According to the written statement, total export figures realized from the regional provinces, primarily Trabzon, as well as Rize, Gümüşhane and Artvin, exhibit a quite remarkable upward graph compared to the same period of the previous year. According to the detailed information provided by İskender, it was stated that 752 million 137 thousand dollars worth of exports were made from Trabzon in the first half of the year, 111 million 87 thousand dollars from Rize, 71 million 458 thousand dollars from Gümüşhane and 47 million 965 thousand dollars from Artvin. While these figures reveal the importance of the region in international trade and its economic dynamism, they also offer promising signals that city-based growth is sustainable.

When compared with the same period of the previous year, the growth rates recorded in the export performance of Doğu Karadeniz clearly demonstrate how fast a recovery and growth process the regional economy is undergoing. According to the data, while export figures in Trabzon increased by 19%, this rate rose to 21% in Rize. Gümüşhane, which draws attention with its more modest scales, increased its exports by nearly half a fold compared to last year, i.e., by a full 49%, marking one of the most striking growth performances in the region. The 33% increase recorded in Artvin is also a significant indicator confirming the success of Doğu Karadeniz's export strategies and the region's strengthening integration with global markets.

The locomotive and highest revenue-generating item of regional exports has undoubtedly been the hazelnut sector; as according to DKİB Chairman İskender's statements, hazelnut exports alone reached a size of 521 million 71 dollars, holding the leadership by a wide margin among sectors. Following hazelnuts, the mining and metals sector took the second place with an export figure of 142 million 792 thousand dollars, emphasizing the importance of bringing the region's rich underground resources into the economy. The seafood and livestock products as well as fresh fruit and vegetable sectors, with export values of 109 million 708 thousand dollars and 80 million 136 thousand dollars respectively, revealed the diversity and richness of the region's trade based on agricultural and natural resources.

The data obtained regarding the global integration and market diversity of the Doğu Karadeniz economy is also quite promising; as it was learned that exports were made to exactly 121 different countries from the region in the said period and cross-border trade networks expanded. Listing the countries with the most exports, İskender conveyed the following information about who the trading partners are: while Italy is at the top of the list, it is followed by Rusya Federasyonu, Gürcistan, Almanya and Fransa. This list of countries shows how deep and rooted Doğu Karabeniz's commercial relations are with both European markets and neighboring countries.

In view, the fact that the income obtained from the hazelnut sector proceeds at expected levels in line with Doğu Karadeniz's 2026 goals, and that the mining and agriculture sectors also provide strong contributions, solidifies the region's role in closing the current account deficit and contributing to the national economy. This upward trend in exports is expected to continue until the end of the year, while it is clear that the coordinated work of regional institutions like DKİB and the entrepreneurial spirit of exporters form the cornerstone of these successes. This export map based on the region's wealth presents an infrastructure that will open doors to the export of higher value-added products in the future.