Turkish fish farm aspirations

After penetrating the wholesale fish trade in Greece, where they have now captured significant market shares, Turkish companies are exploring the possibility of acquiring fish farming units in Greece.

According to market executives, several overtures have already been made by Turkish companies to small Greek firms in Central Greece and the Ionian Sea, which, burdened by significant financial problems, do not seem to reject the possibility of transferring their assets.

Executives with knowledge of the market raise doubts about both the feasibility of these investment moves and their effectiveness. Behind the desire to acquire units in Greece lies mainly the easier access to ports and trade networks in Greece and Europe, and less the fish farming itself. After all, most production units, packaging and processing plants in Turkiye are much more modern than their Greek counterparts. What they mean is that the Greek units will not actually be productive, but will help channel more Turkish aquaculture fish to the Greek and European markets.

Already, according to market data, around 20,000 tons of sea bream and sea bass are imported from Turkiye to Greece and are traded both in the domestic market and in the European markets, often as “Greek.”

Kathimerini