The role of producer organizations in the international marketing of fresh fruits in Bursa

Bursa is an important province of Turkey in terms of both agricultural and industrial production. Bursa has a great fruit growing potential as well as general agricultural production. Today, farmers have shown the great success in the production and pest control. But they haven't enough knowledge about marketing of their products.However, the producer' ability to market its products is as important as produce them by using the proper techniques. Unfortunately, producers cannot market their own products professionally. Fresh fruit production amount of Bursa province has been investigated and it has been found that there are seven major spices have played an important role in the production. These fruit species are; pear, peach, apple, grape, cherry, strawberry and fig respectively. 80,1 % of total fruit production of Bursa consists these seven species. Thus, the research has been focused on fresh marketing of these products without any industrial processing process. The one of the most successful way of marketing any producer' own products is become an organisation. Today, there are many producers' organisations like cooperatives and unions. However, some of these organisations do not engaged with marketing activities. A survey research has been conducted in order to determine the current status of producers' organisations and to improve their marketing ability. Survey results showed that cooperatives are not effective in marketing of their products but they aimed to make breakthrough. Thus, some recommendations have been offered in order to provide producers technical support and make them complete their marketing process without problems. Common Marketing Agencies has been accepted as a good alternative solution for their fresh fruit marketing problems.