While Turkey’s seafood exports continue to gain momentum, significant steps are also being taken toward sustainability…

Ahmet Tuncay Sagun, one of Turkey’s largest fish producers and exporters, stated that they have begun preparations to establish a 9-megawatt solar power plant (SPP) in Antalya’s Elmalı district to meet the electricity needs of the 12 factories within Group Sagun.

Explaining that Turkey has gained strong momentum in seafood exports and has grown by 60 percent compared to five years ago, Sagun shared the following information: Turkey currently produces 800,000 tons of seafood, of which 500,000 tons come from aquaculture and 300,000 tons from wild catch. In 2023, Turkey’s nationwide seafood exports reached 1 billion 737 million dollars.

Vocational high school on the way

The company, which exports the tuna, gilt-head bream, sea bass, trout, and salmon it raises, has 11 production facilities in Turkey and exports to 35 countries. In addition to Turkey, the group also farms fish in Tunisia, Egypt, and Greece, with tuna production being its most prominent area of activity.

Sagun, who served four terms as the Chairman of the Istanbul Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters’ Association, also stated that he is preparing to hand over the business to the fourth generation. His son, Oğulcan Kemal Sagun, who studied economics, is the Vice Chairman of the Board, while his daughter, Nazlıcan Sagun Çitçi, a law graduate, is a Member of the Board.

Highlighting the lack of qualified and well-trained personnel in the sector, Sagun stated that they will open a vocational high school for fisheries, saying: “The school we will establish in our hometown Samsun will bear the names of my wife, Mrs. Seda, and myself. We will donate the school to the Ministry of National Education, and we will guarantee jobs for 50 students who graduate each year from our vocational high school.