EFFECT OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES ON EXPORT PERFORMANCE: THE RESEARCH ON FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORT

Abstract

Recent developments shows that agriculture is gaining importance today and in the future. Increasing population, food security, climate change, diseases and wars are forcing all countries to pay more attention to agriculture. It is an undeniable fact that increasing our exports especially in this area, where we are very strong as a country, will make a great contribution to the national economy. The aim of this research is to find out the marketing activities conducted by Turkish fresh fruits and vegetables’ exporters and to examine the impact of these activities on their export performance. The secondary aim of our research is to make suggestions that will increase share of our exporters in the world by identifying the problems faced by them in the marketing process. In this study, data were collected from the exporters affiliated to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association of the Turkish Exporters Assembly by online survey method and 101 questionnaires were obtained. As a result of the research, it was found that time and effort spent on marketing planning, product and strategy development and place of marketing understanding within the firm, which are sub-dimensions of marketing activities, have an effect on financial performance and satisfaction with export performance, which are sub-dimensions of export performance. However, competitive structure has no effect on export performance sub-dimensions.In line with the results of study, in order to understand the importance of fresh fruit and vegetable export marketing, it is important for the private sector, public sector and academicians working in the field of marketing to conduct joint research on agricultural marketing in close relationship with the field of agriculture. It is thought that such studies on agricultural export marketing and branding will contribute to the literature