Türkiye aims to build ‘Turkish caviar’ brand as seafood exports set new records

Türkiye aims to expand mussel farming and establish a “Turkish caviar” brand to become a major global producer of sturgeon and caviar, a senior Agriculture and Forestry Ministry official said.

Turgay Turkyilmaz, director general of fisheries and aquaculture, told Anadolu that the country’s record seafood production has translated into strong export growth.

Türkiye’s seafood production reached a record 1.037 million tons last year, with 627,000 tons coming from aquaculture and 410,000 tons from wild catch, he said.

Aquaculture now accounts for 60% of total production, reflecting the sector’s growing role, Turkyilmaz added.

Seafood exports totaled 288,000 tons worth $2.25 billion in 2025, generating a foreign trade surplus of nearly $1.9 billion, he said.

“The positive momentum has continued into 2026. In the first six months of this year, our exports increased 13% year-on-year to reach $1.1 billion. We aim to achieve at least $2.4 billion in seafood exports by the end of the year,” he said.