Meeting approximately 25 percent of the world’s seedless raisin production and approximately 40 percent of global exports, Türkiye is the leading country in the world seedless raisin market. Throughout history, the export of seedless raisins has held great importance for our country and has been referred to as one of our “traditional export products.” One of the most significant problems encountered in raisin exports is pesticide residue. Pesticide residue can be defined as the presence of agricultural chemicals used throughout the production period on the final product in amounts that threaten human health. The permissible limit for the presence of a pesticide on a product is called the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), and this limit varies for each pesticide.

In resolving the residue problem in seedless raisins, which play such a vital role in the foreign trade of our country and our region, the most crucial point is for all relevant parties—primarily our producers—to act consciously when using or recommending pesticides. Through the project initiated in 2009, awareness-raising activities are carried out for sector representatives, primarily raisin producers, as well as agrochemical dealers, those who prescribe agricultural pesticides, consultants, etc.

Within the scope of the project, the Agricultural Engineer assigned by our Exchange has been conducting training activities in villages across raisin-producing regions since 2009.