AHKİB Achieves Exports Worth USD 32.3 Million

AHKIB Achieved USD 32.3 Million in Exports Mediterranean Apparel and Clothing Exporters Association (AHKİB) Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin announced that regional exports in October reached USD 32.3 million, while noting that high inflation and rising cost pressures are deeply affecting the sector. Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin, expressing concern about significant contractions in apparel and clothing exports in the final two months of the year, continued his remarks as follows: "As a sector, we must sustain our operations and protect our country's gains in the international arena. We expect support measures applied during the pandemic period to be reinstated, especially regarding raw material, energy and labor costs."

Decision made to establish joint commission with Inditex group

Recalling that a delegation comprising Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) President Mustafa Gültepe and heads of exporter associations held senior-level contacts with Inditex Group in Spain at the end of October to protect and develop Turkish apparel sector's gains in the European Union market, Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin reported that the meeting with Inditex to address issues and develop business cooperation was an important step. [caption id="attachment_144856" align="aligncenter"] AHKİB Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin[/caption]

Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin continued his remarks as follows:

"Our TİM President Mustafa Gültepe, together with our apparel and textile exporter association heads, held a productive meeting with Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras and senior officials accompanying him. We put issues and possible solutions on the table. We reached agreement on the point that we can jointly build a period in which our relations will be much more productive. We will hold the second meeting with Inditex management in Turkey around the end of November. We aim to conduct similar meeting traffic with other well-known brands that procure heavily from our country."  

In October, highest exports went to Netherlands, Spain and Germany

Evaluating regional exports in October by product groups and countries, Board Chairman Gürkan Tekin stated, "In the 10th month of the year, our Association marketed 4,349 tons of products in international markets and achieved highest exports in women's outerwear valued at USD 13.3 million. This was followed by men's outerwear valued at USD 10 million and other apparel valued at USD 3.7 million. Looking at the list of countries to which we exported most in October, the Netherlands ranked first with USD 7.4 million, Spain ranked second with USD 7.2 million, and Germany ranked third with USD 3.8 million. During the period in question, we achieved noteworthy increases in export volume to the Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Afghanistan markets," he said.