Import-export procedures in food industry and problems encountered in food trade

Decisions and measures taken to increase exports and reduce imports for the development of countries' economies are what constitute foreign trade policies. With the globalization, documents, definitions and practices used in the foreign trade process in the world being standardized, the growth of internationally compliant firms has pushed suppliers in developing countries to comply with these standards. Turkey exports many agricultural products such as cereals, legumes, industrial products, sugar, nuts, fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, olive oil and livestock products. Although Turkey is a major agricultural producer, it imports niche products from Europe and exotic products from the inner regions of Asia. The Turkish food industry, which is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, is transforming into an industrial structure that includes large and multinational enterprises and the renewal of production technologies in line with the increasing population and changing consumption habits in the process of globalization. Multinational and/or large enterprises in the Turkish food industry regularly conduct their own global marketing efforts. Small and medium-sized businesses generally prefer not to participate in international markets. The aim of this study is to gather the basic issues together so that those who are interested in food import/export can visualize common problems in the Turkish food trade industry and be able to provide solutions.