Introduction: The first step in exporting is to identify the target market and clarify customer needs. Choosing the right target market is also the first step for a successful marketing strategy. When selecting a target market, it is necessary to take into account the marketing mix and consumer preferences of the destination country. By identifying the target market, the producer can focus its marketing, sales, research and decision-making activities optimally. It is important to note that export marketing does not simply mean identifying buyers or importers from the destination country and encouraging them to place orders; rather, it is the correct implementation of the process developed in the form of a marketing strategy in order to achieve success in the international market. Market structure represents the organizational characteristics of the market and can be used to determine the relationships between market components. The market structure lies between the two well-known situations of perfect competition and perfect monopoly. Two factors of fundamental importance in the structure between competition and monopoly are the number of sellers and their size.
Materials and Methods: This aimed at investigating the structure of world markets and determining the most suitable target markets for the export products of Zanjan province in Iran, including raisins, apples, apricots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and garlic during the period 2015-2019. In order to examine the structure of the markets, concentration ratios and Herfindahl-Hirschman indices were calculated and to prioritize the target markets, the screening method was used. For this purpose, time series data on domestic production, quantity and export value of the exportable products to importing countries were collected and analyzed. Therefore, the concentration ratio (CR) and Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) were calculated to examine the structure of the markets as well as the screening methods were utilized to prioritize the target markets.
Results and Discussion: The study results showed that the market structures for agricultural products were different from each other and the export priority for countries was also diverse. Therefore, a list of priority target markets was provided based on the type of exportable products. Calculation of the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) showed that the international markets for raisins, apples, potatoes and onions were subject to monopolistic competition, while the global markets for apricots and tomatoes were a loose oligopoly and a dominant firm for garlic.
Conclusion and Suggestions: According to the study findings, it is suggested that by benefiting from modern marketing strategies, identifying the taste and health standards of the target markets, the competitiveness of the export products of the province should be strengthened and the necessary measures should be taken to gain a greater share of the international markets.