Turkish Q1 exports exceed year 2001 export earnings
Posted by meb at April 1st, 2008
Turkish exports hit $10.95 billion last month in a 22.8 percent rise over the same month last year, March export figures released by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) yesterday at a press conference in Hopa, a port city on the Georgian border, revealed.
Turkish exports in the first quarter of 2008 increased by 36.2 percent to $31.4 billion over the same period of 2007. As of the end of March, year-on-year exports had grown by 26.6 percent, hitting $114.3 billion. The highest increase was in the export of dried fruit and related products, at 44.65 percent. Iron and steel exports saw the second-highest rise, 44.56 percent.
By revenue generated, the highest export numbers came from the industrial sector, making $9.7 billion. Agriculture exports hit $1.07 billion, while metal and mineral exports totaled $220,282. In terms of export destinations, Germany took the first spot, followed by Italy, the UK, the Russian Federation, France, Spain, the US, Romania, the Netherlands and the UAE.
At the press conference TİM President Oğuz Satıcı said recent political developments had forced Turkey away from being a state of law with all institutions operating in harmony.
“And unfortunately this causes a perception that Turkey has lost its way,” he said, adding that this would cost the economy. Satıcı emphasized that Turkey had to be a democratic and rich country, saying that democracy was directly related to wealth, education and welfare. “Our aim is to establish welfare and democracy at the same time.”
Satıcı said the issue at hand was not a question of democracy versus stability, but rather “How can we establish stability in a democratic environment?” He said that had Turkey insisted on reforms as part of the European Union accession process they would not be facing the ongoing ambiguity over Turkish democracy and economy. Satıcı said the current situation had strengthened the hand of circles in the EU opposed to Turkish membership.
Foreign Trade Minister Kürşad Tüzmen told the Anatolia news agency that Turkey’s exports for the past three months were equal in value to all export revenue in 2001. Tüzmen also emphasized that Turkish exporters had increased their exports despite negative developments in world markets.
The minister said Turkish exporters followed global developments closely and were taking measures to turn threats into opportunities. He added that the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, TİM, exporters’ unions, Eximbank and the Export Promotion Center (İGEME) were working in harmony. Tüzmen noted that there were still problems in foreign trade but that work was under way to overcome them.
Tüzmen said the results of the first quarter had shown that the year-end target of $125 billion would be achieved.
source: Today’s Zaman
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