Turkey’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports have increased between Jan. 1 and March 19, reaching $581 million in worth.

The export value was recorded at $455 million in the same period last year, Hakkı Bahar, chairman of the Western Mediterranean Exporters Association told Anadolu Agency (AA).

Bahar said that while exports have slowed in some sectors, due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus pandemic, an increase has been observed in the fresh vegetable and fruit sector.

Some 858,000 tons of fruits and vegetables were exported last year between Jan. 1- March 19, while the amount of the exported product was recorded at 956,000 tons this year.

"There is an 11.3% increase as kilogram and a 27.6% in terms of the foreign currency amount entering the country," he said.

Exports were made to 85 countries, Russia being the leading importer of the country’s fresh fruit and vegetables. Romania, Ukraine, Iraq, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Serbia, Georgia and Saudi Arabia followed Russia in imports.