Dear Sector Shareholders

In 2022, Turkey's overall exports increased by 12,9% and amounted to 254 billion dollars. Exports of Fisheries and Animal Products throughout Turkey increased by 19,7% in 2022 compared to 2021 and amounted to 4,06 billion dollars. The country with the highest import rate from Turkey is Iraq. In 2022, our exports to Iraq increased approximately by 38,7% compared to 2021 and amounted to 772 million dollars. The Russian Federation is in the second place with an increaseof 27,8%, with 330,4 million dollars, and The United Arab Emirates is in the third place with an increase of 53,4% compared to 2021 and with 194,7 million dollars.

As to 2022 export figures of the Mediterranean Aquatic and Animal Products Exporters'Association, which was established to protect the interests of our exporters operating in our region with approximately 829 members today, our union managed to achieve export value of 527 million dollars in 2022 with an increase of 0,9% compared to 2021.

Activities Our Association will be carrying out in 2023 are as follows;

In February 2023, we will be participating in Gulfood Dubai exhibition which to be held in Dubai/U.A.E. and we will be making it possible for our members to be known by visitors of the exhibition thereby increasing the publicity of our companies.

In March 2023, we will be organizing a national pavilion attendance for Libya Food 2023 exhibition which will be held in Tripoli/LIBYA. By this attendance, our exporter companies will be having the chance to exhibit their products and meet importing companies from various countries which will be visiting this exhibition.

In October 2023, our association will be attending in Anuga 2023 (to be held in Cologne/GERMANY) fair as an exhibitor and we will be spending our efforts on making our member companies known to German importers, also importers from all around the world.

In November 2023, we will be organizing a national pavilion attendance for Israfood 2023 exhibition which will be held in Tel Aviv/ISRAEL. We aim to provide our exporter companies with the chance to exhibit their products and make their company and products known to importer companies that will be visiting the exhibition.

On behalf of the Board of the Mediterranean Aquatic and Animal Products Exporters' Association, I wish that the year 2023 will be a year in which we overcome all obstacles that are encountered in our sector and in which the penetration into more export markets are achieved. Lastly and most importantly, I wish that 2023 will bring the COVID-19 epidemic to an end and it will bring lots of profits to all of you sector stakeholders.

                                                                       
                                                                           Ali Can YAMANYILMAZ
                                                          Deputy Chairman of Management Board of
                                                          Mediterranean Aquatic and Animal Products
                                                                             Exporters' Association