Turkey earns $66M from export of bottled spring water

BURSA, Turkey

Turkey earned $66.8 million by exporting bottled spring water to a total of 100 countries in 2017.

According to data collected by Anadolu Agency from Uludag Exporters' Association, most of the water resources were treated in Marmara region of the northwestern Bursa and Sakarya provinces.

The bottled spring water exports increased by five percent in tonnage terms and by four percent in value, compared to the 2016.

Last year, 429,619 tons of spring water was exported and the U.K. ranked first with the import of 108,824 tonnes of water which was worth $12 million, according to the association.

Germany ranked second by importing 86,553 tonnes of water worth $14.6 million. According to the association, Turkey's export to Germany increased 37 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year.

United Arab Emirates ranked third by importing 56,318 tonnes of water worth $9.8 million. Israel, Turkish Northern Republic of Cyprus were the other countries to which Turkey exported bottled spring water.

Huseyin Karamehmetoglu, a board member of the Packaged Water Manufacturers Association, told Anadolu Agency in January that Turkey was a rich country in terms of its natural resources, and Turkish water was preferred especially in European and Gulf countries.

Reporting by Sinan Balcikoca:Writing by Diyar Guldogan