How GAGF benefits SMEs in Europe – Mavi Fruits, Turkey

Thanks to EIF (part of EIB Group), thousands of SMEs across Europe are able to start-up and expand their businesses. Tahir Çelik, who founded Mavi Fruits Blueberry Organic Farming, is one of them. He is an entrepreneur who puts a lot of efforts into growing blueberries within the local economy in Rize, and across Turkey. Blueberries only recently became more popular in Turkey. As the region is predominantly producing tea, Mr. Çelik looked for other products giving higher economic returns. He came to the conclusion that the highest quality of blueberries could grow in the Black Sea region, and decided to invest in this direction.

Mr. Çelik benefited from the Greater Anatolia Guarantee Facility (GAGF) and obtained from KGF a guarantee for a loan of TRY 148,500 (about €49.000) to invest in a cold storage system for the delicate product to reach consumers safely in the best possible conditions. One of his future goals is to carry out R&D activities to use blueberries in pharmaceuticals.

Do you want to know more? Watch the video ...