Turkey to export pearl mullets to Armenia

Sunday, October 3, 2010

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

VAN - Hüriyet Daily News

The fish trade between two countries is hoped to serve diplomacy.

Armenia will begin to import Lake Van’s prized Pearl Mullet fish in what one Turkish businessman hopes will be the first stage toward the eventual opening of the two countries’ closed frontier.

“The sooner we develop the bilateral trade the sooner we can get the borders opened,” Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry board member Ayhan Fidan recently told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

The fish, however, will be transported to Armenia via Georgia because of the closed border, thus affecting the price because exporters will need to pay customs tax twice.

“We would like our export to be consumed by a larger section of the society, however, due to this formality about the custom tariff it seems that the sales price of the fish in Armenia will be rather high,” he said.

"Armenia is a country of 3.5 million people; Turkey’s population is 75 million. If the borders are opened it is for the benefit of the Armenian businessmen and industrialist, because they will have access to a large market,” he said.

Nonetheless, in addition to the pearl mullet, Turkey will also export oranges to its neighbor, Fidan said, adding that the decision to do so was made six moths ago.

The oranges cultivated in Turkey would be launched in the Armenian market directly Fidan said, adding that the terms and conditions of the orange export were also tied together with the export agreement for the pearl mullets.