‘‘Tomorrows Will Be Better Than Yesterday’’
Ahmet Öksüz, Chairman of the Board of Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association (ITHIB), stated that the importance of product diversity was understood considerably during the troublesome coronavirus pandemic period and he continued with the following, ‘‘Our product variety has been one of the most determining factors of our strong recovery in exports.’’
ITHIB Chairman of the Board Ahmet Öksüz indicated that Turkey is ranked as the sixth-largest supplier in the world and second-largest supplier in Europe in the exports of textile and raw materials with its size of 331 billion US Dollars and continued his statements as follows, ‘‘The troublesome Coronavirus pandemic outbreak has adversely affected Turkey’s exports of textiles and raw materials, as it did to every sector. Although there was a decline of nearly 50 percent in the first half of last year, especially in April and May, the sector rapidly recovered in the following period. The recovery trend that started in June and July with the pending shipments of the delayed orders, especially in the EU market, continued with new orders received in August, September, and October. In November, exports increased by 8.6 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.’’
Öksüz stated that among the product groups that contributed the most to the sector’s export growth were technical textiles, knitted fabrics, fibers, and yarns. Öksüz, who shared the information that knitted fabric exports increased by 12 percent and amounted to 142 million US Dollars in November 2020, noted that there was more than a 20 percent increase in exports to Belarus, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, and Poland.
‘‘Our diversity in the export market reveals the dynamism of our industry.’’
Öksüz stated that the technical textile industry exceeded its own export record every month and that the technical textile exports, which increased by 77 percent in November 2020 compared to the same month of the previous year, increased by 55 percent in January – November period and reached an amount of 2.5 billion US Dollars.
Expressing that, ‘‘Our diversity in the export market reveals the dynamism of our industry,’’ Öksüz continued his statements as follows:
‘‘Despite the devastating pandemic and all global shutdowns, we carried out exports to 197 countries. Turkey is in the focus of global buyers, which aim to move away from receiving supplies with the single market-oriented approach. Therefore, hoping the absence of global shutdowns yet again, we aim to reach record export volume in 2021. Our ultimate goal is to become one of the top 5 countries in global exports by increasing our share of global exports. Our virtual trade delegations and promotional activities, which were realized within the scope of the digitalization works that we carry out as ITHIB, will play an important role in this. We believe that tomorrows will be better than yesterday.’’
‘‘We will maintain investment initiatives and employment opportunities for more exports.’’
Öksüz stated that all economic indicators reveal that the sector has gone to the positive side of the V-type recovery trend, and when the capacity utilization rates of the sector are examined, the textile and raw materials sector is the leading sector that has recovered fastest since the troublesome pandemic period.
Öksüz continued his statements with the following, “The capacity utilization rate of our sector has increased by 74 percent since April of last year, with the effect of the intense demand increase in the production of personal protective equipment products. We are the second sector that recovered the second fastest with respect to the capacity utilization rates. As of November, the capacity utilization rate of our sector is 77.1 percent, which is above the capacity utilization rate of the manufacturing industry. By 2021, we expect the capacity utilization rates of our industry to reach over 80 percent again.”
‘‘Our employment reached 1 million 50 thousand’’
ITHIB Chairman of the Board Ahmet Öksüz stated that the industrial production index data has also increased, and further expressed the following, ‘‘The production index data of our industry was above the average index of the manufacturing industry, similar to the capacity utilization rate. While the manufacturing industry production index increased by 8.5 percent in September, the production index of our sector increased by 9.3 percent. Despite all the pandemic conditions, our employment has reached 1 million 50 thousand together with the ready-to-wear industry. As the locomotive sector of Turkey’s economy will continue to serve our country with more export, more investment initiatives, and more employment opportunities.’’
