Turkey's food exports to China have doubled over the past three years, indicating that China's increasing demand for healthy products in recent years has created an advantage for Turkish food products.

Aegean Exporters' Associations Coordinator Vice President Birol Celep said in a statement that food product exports to China soared to $144 million at the end of 2017 from $72 million in 2014, a 100 percent increase.

Celep stressed that the increase encouraged Turkish exporters to grow in the Chinese market, saying that the Chinese, who have been growing rich in recent years, are taking greater interest in Turkish food products.

Underlining that China's annual food imports have neared $50 billion, Celep noted: "China should be regarded as the target market of today, not of the future. Exporters of all kinds of food products, especially meat and meat products, water products, dried fruits, olive oil and vegetable oils, fruit and vegetable products, fresh fruits and vegetables and hazelnuts should concentrate on the Chinese market." Celep emphasized that China is an outstanding consumer market with an increasing demand for food, adding that high-income consumers' demand for high-quality and healthy products has made Turkish food products a preferred choice.

Pointing out that they have taken action to bring together Turkish food exporters and Chinese food importers, Celep said that they decided to organize a trade delegation to enable Turkish food exporters to enter the Chinese market as a result of negotiations with the Guangzhou Commercial Counselor Office. Celep said that they are planning to bring together the delegations from Dec. 10 to 14 and that they will conduct bilateral business meetings with wholesaler and supermarket visits.