The problems of the agriculture and industry sectors were discussed at the Aegean Region Export Evaluation Meeting, hosted by the Aegean Exporters' Associations, with the participation of TİM President İsmail Gülle and Union Presidents.
Meeting; It was held with the participation of İzmir Deputy Governor Hulusi Doğan, Ministry of Commerce Export General Manager Özgür Volkan Ağar, AK Party Denizli Deputy Şahin Tin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of our Unions, Members of the Board of Directors and Auditors and TİM delegates.
EİB's exports reached 15 billion dollars
İsmail Gülle, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), said, “As of July, we have exceeded 12 billion dollars of exports in the last 200 months. There is no doubt that our members of the Aegean Exporters' Association have an important contribution to this success. While the exports of our Aegean Exporters' Association have increased by 40 percent since the beginning of the year compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 8,5 billion dollars, its exports in the last 12-month period reached 15 billion dollars. On the way to reach Turkey, which has a foreign trade surplus, all our sectors, all our companies, all our products are of particular importance.”
EIB revised its 2021 target upwards
Aegean Exporters' Unions Coordinator President Jak Eskinazi; “In a process where the effects of the pandemic continue around the world, we have achieved a historical success by exceeding 15 billion dollars in annual exports. We have updated our target for the end of 2021 to $16 billion upwards. We organized Turkey's first virtual fairs and sectoral trade delegations during the pandemic period. Our marketing activities continued without any interruption. In addition to virtual marketing activities, our URGE Projects and TURQUALITY Projects continue intensively. We aim to export 2022 billion dollars in 18.” said.
A special exporter's association for "Renewable Energy" equipment should be established under the roof of EIB.
Eskinazi also mentioned that Turkey is among the leading countries in the world in the “Renewable Energy” sector, which is gaining importance day by day.
“The Aegean Region is rapidly advancing towards becoming an important production and export base in renewable energy. Because; Establishment of a special exporter's association for "Renewable Energy" equipment under the roof of EIB will be a very correct decision. Our exporting companies in these sectors are increasingly expressing their demands for representation within the EIB. We want to increase investments and incentives in renewable energy sources and increase Turkey's share in total electricity production. Inexhaustible, cheap, reliable, environmentally friendly, domestic and renewable energies should be our priority. Sustainable production and consumption of energy is the future of all of us.”
Yield estimation studies should be done meticulously.
Birol Celep, Vice President of Aegean Exporters' Associations and President of Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters' Association, said, “We expect the products in TMO's stocks to be put on the market with an affordable price policy, regardless of commercial concerns. TMO should continue to be a guide and explain its purchase and price policy before the season starts. Traceability is very important in export. Therefore, the raw material must be traceable. Predicting the yield correctly is also very important. It is expected that there will be a 20-25 percent deviation in the seedless raisin yield forecast this season. Yield estimation studies should be carried out much more carefully and in a way that will give more accurate results.” said.
Chemical Union call
Yalçın Ertan, President of Aegean Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters Union, underlined the need to establish new exporters' unions under the EIB roof, primarily in the chemical, electrical-electronics, cement, ceramics and soil products, automotive sub-industry and machinery sectors, and continued as follows:
“2020 percent of the 13 billion 4 million dollars export we recorded in 30 was carried out by the sectors that are not affiliated with the EIB. The chemical sector was the sector that realized the most exports from our region in July, with a one-month interval. When we look at the general picture, it ranks second in total after our iron industry. While the sector realized an export of 52 million dollars with an increase of 151 percent, its exports in the last year exceeded 1 billion dollars. In order to provide better service to our companies and create sectoral synergy, unions of these sectors, especially the Chemistry Union, must be established within the EIB.”
GTIP change in dried tomato exports to the European Union
Aegean Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters' Association President Hayrettin Ucak said that there has been a change in the GTIP classification of dried tomatoes exported from our country to EU countries.
“As the 2021-ton quota defined for the products originating in our country within the said GTIP for 8900 is filled in June 2021, our exporters will face additional tax burden when the 2021 export season starts. We demand that the exported dried tomatoes continue to be classified under the current GTIP number, considering that the salting process is not done after drying and therefore there is no further processing.”
Incentives should be given to the expenditures of our companies for sustainable production
Burak Sertbaş, President of the Aegean Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters' Association; He is of the opinion that consumers and states should keep the circular economy on the agenda and that the state should support investments in this regard.
“All the stakeholders of the sector should speak the same language and rules should be set. We see the positive results of the support given by our state to our industry in the field of design. We want the same incentives to be given to the expenditures of our companies for sustainable production. We have shown the incentives given to our industry so far by earning 17 billion dollars of foreign currency to the country every year and by being at the forefront of value-added exports. In 2020, despite the pandemic and the closures in our main markets, we exported 17,1 billion dollars. Our industry can easily increase this export figure to 20 billion dollars and above with the right practices. Finally, I believe that we will serve our country's economy and exports in the best way by using the incentives to be given in the field of sustainability in the most effective way.”
Air cargo and freight charges
Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters' Association President Bedri Girit mentioned that although the infrastructure of Milas-Bodrum Airport is suitable for air transportation and air cargo permit, the inability to carry out direct transportation causes cost increase and time loss for companies.
“The opening of the air cargo terminal with the cooperation of TIM and TOBB will enable the export of not only aquatic products, but also many other products, especially fresh fruit and vegetables, from the Muğla region, and will prevent the losses of the sector. We want air cargo freight rates to the USA to be reduced to a reasonable level and to accelerate the opening of some markets that are closed due to technical barriers. Most of the exports to North American countries are made by air. As Turkish exporters, we expect the freight rates to be at the same level as our biggest competitor, Greece, in order not to lose our exports and not to lose the American market.”
Support for beekeeping
Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters' Association Board Member Nedim Kalpaklıoğlu said, “In order to compensate, to some extent, the losses faced by our producers due to the weight of the losses of the beekeeping sector, especially pine honey, in the forest fire disasters in the Aegean Region in the recent period in our country, needed hive, equipment, food, etc. It is important to authorize spending from the aforementioned Union reserve account in order to meet the needs of the sector and to meet the losses of the sector immediately.” he said.
High-level diplomatic traffic with India in poppy seeds
Mustafa Terci, President of the Aegean Cereals and Oilseeds Exporters' Association; He reminded that the poppy seed, which is one of the important export products of the Union, was entered into an intermittent process originating from the Indian Government.
“The new season started in July 2021. Therefore, high-level contacts were held at the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India, with the support of our Minister of Trade, Mehmet Muş, in order to start our exports uninterruptedly, taking into account the 2-season harvest. At the same time, we will be in talks with the General Directorate of Exports regarding the improvement of the situation in the coming days. Finally, in July, India asked us to report the amount of poppy seeds that could be exported. We have reported it immediately and await your response. At the same time, we held a meeting with the participation of the representatives of poppy exporting companies to discuss the development of the current online system with India. At the said meeting, the revised demands were evaluated and the sector representatives expressed their opinions on the improvement and continuation of the system.”
Sudden export bans hinder foresight
Davut Er, President of Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters' Association, said, “The olive oil sector is a candidate for growth and targets 1,5 billion dollars if sufficient yield is achieved. Exporters need to be able to make their programs long-term. Sudden export regulations hinder foresight. While making decisions, the opinions of the sector components should also be taken. At the same time, we are of the opinion that within the framework of the negotiations for updating the Customs Union agreement between the EU and Turkey, zeroing the olive oil customs tax that the EU is applying to our country or obtaining a quota of at least 30.000 tons for olive oil from the European Union will be very beneficial for the future of the Turkish olive and olive oil sector.” said.
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