AHKIB Increased Exports by 53% in July

Mediterranean Apparel Exporters Association (AHKIB) realized exports of $48.5 million in July, a 53% increase. AHKIB President Gürkan Tekin emphasized that, as a union, they continue to work to protect exports in traditional markets and make the best use of opportunities in new markets.

AHKIB President Gürkan Tekin stated that they are struggling to offer competitive prices in international markets due to the labor-intensive nature of the ready-to-wear and garment sector, and that they are trying to protect their earnings by taking the risk of selling at a loss. President Tekin said, “While our costs are rising, the flat exchange rate is putting pressure on our businesses. Our companies are losing capital. We need new investments for branding, value-added product production, and compliance with the European Union’s Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism. Comprehensive support and incentives are crucial in this process.”

The Highest Export was in Women’s Outerwear

Evaluating AHKIB’s July 2025 exports by product groups, President Tekin announced that they converted 4,308 tons of products into value in international markets. Stating that they realized the highest exports in this period in women’s outerwear, men’s outerwear and other ready-made goods groups, President Gürkan Tekin said: “We achieved $19.6 million in exports in the women’s outerwear product group, a 21% increase. This product group accounted for 40% of our total exports. In the men’s outerwear group, which has a 33% share, our exports reached 16.2 million dollars with a 151% export increase. Our other ready-made goods product group exports, which constitute 7% of our exports, increased by 1% to $3.2 million.”

Strong Growth in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kosovo Markets

President Gürkan Tekin noted that AHKIB has lost customers in traditional markets like Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain because they cannot offer competitive prices, and added that their search for different markets continues to yield positive results. Gürkan Tekin, who announced that they exported the most to the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyz markets in July, continued as follows: “In this period when losses in the European market are deepening, our Union members are trying to compensate for these losses by turning to value-added products. Our largest export was to the Netherlands, with $12 million. Although our exports to the Netherlands decreased by 15% per kilogram compared to the same period last year, the 9% increase in value demonstrated the success of our members’ investments in value-added products. Our exports to Kazakhstan, which ranked second, increased 230-fold, reaching $7.6 million, accounting for 16% of our total exports. We also exported to Kyrgyzstan, an 85-fold increase, reaching $4.6 million. Additionally, our exports to Tajikistan increased by 140 times to $2 million, to Kosovo by 120 times to $1.4 million, and to Iraq by 6 times to $2.9 million.”

Tekin stated that they realized $279.4 million in exports in the first seven months of the year, a 33 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year, adding, “During this period, we exported the most to the Netherlands with $88 million, Germany with $25 million, and Kazakhstan with $20 million.”