Noting that Turkey’s major rivals in the cut flower market -- Kenya, Ecuador and Colombia -- have not been able to send their flowers to Europe during the ash cloud crisis, Bağdatlıoğlu told the Anatolia news agency that Turkey was able to continue its exports over land thanks to its geographic proximity to one of world’s largest cut flower markets, Europe. “We took our chance to make up for the lack in cut flowers in Europe due to cancellations from our rivals,” the chairman explained. He said Turkey’s cut flower exports to Europe had doubled because of the volcanic ash cloud. Bağdatlıoğlu said Kenya, Ecuador and Colombia had to destroy 90 percent of the cut flower inventory they had expected to send to Europe by plane following the cancellation of flights for more than seven days in a row.
Meanwhile, Antalya Chamber of Agriculture President Halil Ordu said on Wednesday in Antalya that the Icelandic volcanic eruption would not cause any hike in produce prices. Dismissing recent claims that the air transportation chaos would affect the Turkey’s produce exports negatively and prices would increase as a result, Ordu said such claims were “speculation.” “We are happy with the current weather conditions; this year is going to yield a good harvest,” he said, adding that produce prices would decline in the weeks to come. Officials from Antalya’s wholesale produce market said ash clouds would not hamper Turkey’s exports since produce is exported overland to major customers such as Russia.
Regarding claims that the ash cloud would affect the climate negatively and cause acid rain, Antalya Produce Exporters Union (AYMSİB) President Mustafa Satıcı, speaking in Antalya on Wednesday, said there was no clear evidence that such developments would occur and that it is too early to comment.
