At the meeting of “Export and Targets in the Construction Industry and Innovations Introduced by the New Turkish Code of Commerce (TCC)” organized by the Construction Materials Industrialists Association (CMIA), figures of construction industry were discussed according to new economic data. Speaking at the meeting, Mehmet Büyükekşi, President of Turkish Exporters Assembly (TEA) provided information about export figures of Turkey and the countries and regions with increased export potential. Büyükekşi emphasized that export to the countries hit by Arabic Spring approached to the levels before the disorder. Büyükekşi mentioned the increase in export to Middle-East countries and stated that “In 2013, Iraq may become the first country where Turkey makes most export to”. Büyükeşi noted that they will increase production to attain the export target of 500 billion dollars in 2023 export strategy and said that “Our first aim is to attribute this target to the nationwide. We want to explain our 2023 targets to everyone from top to the lowest sections in all meetings we held in the country and abroad and thus create awareness.
In the independent study made by each sector under TEA, the export figures of 2023 presented as 545 billion dollars.
Upon the study made by our sectors related with the 2023 target, target figure was determined as 545 billion dollars”. Büyükekşi explained that thanks to new investment incentives, they will achieve export target of 2023 with contribution of all sectors and said that “Construction value is essential for Turkish economy in terms of both domestic production and the export volume realized. In our way to the export target for 2023, I believe that our construction sector will provide required support”. Answering the question of AA reporter related with Syrian trade, Büyükekşi said that “our export to Syria decreased at the rate of about 65 percent. If Turkey disregarded humanitarian aspects, in other words it ceased to supply electricity; our export to Syria would decrease at the rate of 90 percent. Now, we only see the humanitarian aspect. We believe that after disorder, Syria will become one of our biggest export markets as other Middle-East countries”. Hüseyin Bilmaç, President of CMIA provided information about 2012 export figures and noted that “ there is an increase at the rate of 13,8 percent in export of construction materials in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period of the previous year. In the period of 17 months, the second highest performance in export of construction materials following the one in March 2012 was realized in May 2012. The ratio of export to import was at about 230 percent in the same period.”
Bilmaç reminded that they, as the sector, completed 2011 in the second rank with growth rate of 11,2 percent and noted that “ our sector ranks first in Europe for cement, ceramics and health appliances; second in iron-steel and gas-concrete and ranks third in the fields of ceramics, plastics, profile and ready-made concrete.
We expect that our construction industry will grow at the rate of 7-8 percent in the 4 percent economic growth environment targeted by the government. Alkin stated that “ the growth of 3,2 percent of Turkish economy contrary to the growth expectations of 3 percent or below in the first quarter of 2012 and industrial production data of May over the expectations may bring the possibility of upwards revision of growth expectations mentioned at the beginning of the year for Turkish economy into question. Depending on the risk of global recession, as the international commodity prices sagged partially and inflation risk decreased, central banks seem to benefit from this situation in favor of growth”.
News: yapi.com.tr / AA
