An Assessment on Harvest, Exports, and Marketing Income Relationships of Freshwater Crayfish in Turkey

This study analyzes the export and international trade status of freshwater crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus), which is an important export product and economic value in Turkey, by simulating the future with the last 10 years (2014-2023) data. The data set shows how and to which countries crayfish are offered as an annual product and in what quantities. Turkey exports an average of 440.364 kg of canned crayfish per year. With an average unit price of $10.12 per kg, Turkey earns USD 4.458,809. Turkey exports 51.268 kg of freshwater crayfish meal, paste, and pellets worth USD 338,926 with an average unit price of USD 6.61 per kg. In addition, the average annual export volume for frozen or live crayfish is 42.327 kg valued at USD 163,509, with an average unit price of USD 3.86 per kg. Turkey's main export destination for crayfish products is Sweden (about 70%) with an average annual export volume of 390.252 kg valued at USD 41.231,013 and an average unit price of USD 10.56 per kg. Other important export countries include Russia (790.887 kg, USD 3.116,688, USD 3.94 per kg), Moldova (135.146 kg, USD 706.339, USD 5.23 per kg) and Belgium (111,509 kg, USD 791.811, USD 7.10 per kg). The United States of America also has a high unit price of USD 12.35 per kg with an export volume of 65.783 kg valued at USD 812.253. The important points that stand out in this study are that while there is no significant increase in quantity, there are significant increases in income over the years depending on product diversity. Sweden stands out in Turkey's exports in this respect. Due to the increasing demand for frozen and processed products due to the COVID-19 pandemic between 2019-2020, it is thought that the highest exports are in these years. The analysis using the ARIMA model showed significant fluctuations in annual export volumes and values, but an overall positive trend was identified. The study highlights the importance of promotional activities to increase domestic consumption and the need to optimize harvesting practices. Turkey's freshwater crayfish exports have growth potential due to increasing global demand and expanding production capacity. As a result, it is thought that crayfish, which provides a significant foreign currency inflow to Turkey, can provide higher economic benefits by increasing product diversity.