Turkish trucks could not pass Kapikule, fruit and vegetable exporters are in trouble

Due to internal problems related to the laboratory in Bulgaria, where products exported from Turkey to European countries are tested, Turkish trucks have started to stay at the Kapıkule border gate.

Noting that the problem, recurring since August, has turned into gangrene, the exporters said that it mainly affects the fruit and vegetable sector due to the risk of rot.

CANNOT BE PROCESSED FOR 10 DAYS

There have been serious problems since April due to the operational crisis due to the problems between the analytical laboratory and the Bulgarian government at the Kapikule border gate, which is the most important transit point for exports from Turkey to European countries.

Turkish trucks formed long queues both in Turkey and in Bulgaria, as the analysis processes were halted at the border gate laboratory for about 10 days.

EXPORTERS HAVE TO PAY COMPENSATION

The loss of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is caused by the fact that the trucks are kept at the borders for at least 3-4 days for the analysis of the product, causes the exporting companies to pay compensation to their corporate clients in Europe.

The president of the Union of Western Mediterranean Exporters (BAIB), Ümit Mirza Çavuşoğlu, and the president of the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO), Ali Bahar, called on the authorities of the two countries for a radical solution to the long crisis of the laboratories.

Explaining that the problem at the Bulgarian border broke out for the first time in April, Çavuşoğlu stated that after the solution was found, it broke out for the second time in August and that the problem is still being experienced from time to time and now it has become gangrene. .

Çavuşoğlu noted that Turkish trucks have formed long queues at the border gate for the past 10 days, and truck parking lots on the Turkish and Bulgarian sides are completely full due to long waiting times.

‘WE ARE LIVE ORDER CANCELLATIONS’

BAIB President Çavuşoğlu, who showed that the problem was 5 elections in 20 months and the inability to form a government as the basis of the problem, stated that a new election is on the agenda for March and that if a government can be formed, this The problem can be solved permanently. Trucks wait at the gate for a minimum of 4-5 days. This causes loss of product, customer and quality. Our companies are penalized and we are experiencing serious problems such as defective products and order cancellations.

Explaining that corporate companies in Europe impose penalties on companies for products that are not delivered on time, Çavuşoğlu stated that exporting companies are forced to pay fines due to products consuming this time out of their shelf life due to the wait of 4-5 days”, he said.

‘ANALYSIS CANNOT BE DONE AT THE DOOR, IT IS SENT TO SOFIA’

Stating that the trucks were able to continue their way to European countries without any problems in the past, Çavuşoğlu said, “At the moment, the analysis cannot be done in the laboratory at the border gate. The incident also took mafia situations due to their own internal problems. The analyzes were taken to Sofia so as not to run the laboratory at the door. Product samples are taken from the trucks and sent to the laboratory in Sofia for analysis. This causes a 3-4 day process and a huge waste of time. The gate laboratory is operated by a private company and there are serious problems between them at the moment. The tails are in incredible condition,” he said.

ATSO Chairman Bahar said that the ordeal of exporters on the Bulgarian border continues: Especially when the product is fresh fruits and vegetables produced in our region, should we burn the rotten ones, labor or our lost resources? We will immediately begin to work with the institutions and combat the problem. The problem has been around for a long time. Despite the difficult conditions, Antalya’s exports seem to have achieved a 10 percent increase, but despite this, we see that there is a huge blockade on the export of fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the biggest complaints we get here is that our trucks are waiting at the gate of Bulgaria.”

EXPECTATION OF PERMANENT SOLUTION

Bahar claimed that there were deliberate delays in product inspections and testing in Bulgaria.

“For years, this problem has been experienced from time to time in the export of fresh fruits and vegetables from Antalya. When these problems increase, governments intervene, the problem is overcome for a while, but then it starts again. We must no longer just talk about this issue here, we will fight for a radical and permanent solution. Starting Monday, we will transfer this issue to our corresponding ministries. Because we see that our work, product and resources in fresh fruits and vegetables are wasted, especially because they are produced in our city, and we are not going to allow that. There are days when trucks wait up to 3-4 days. It is claimed that only 15-20 trucks can pass the analysis per day,” he said. (DHA)