EİB Presents Awards to Afyonkarahisar-Based Exporters

Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri and Dünya Gazetesi in cooperation, under the hosting of Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organized the "Ege Export Meetings-Afyonkarahisar" conference, where the "Stars of Afyonkarahisar Exports Awards Ceremony" was held. Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri recognized the top 5 exporting companies in Afyonkarahisar, the capital of marble, thermal and food, in 2021. ŞUAYP DEMİREL was Afyonkarahisar's export champion in 2021, while Emek Mermer Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. ranked second. KARA MEHMET MERMER SAN. VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. secured third place among the highest exporting companies from Afyonkarahisar. TUREKS-GM Mermer Granit San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. took fourth place, while AYMAR Doğal Taş Madencilik Dış Tic. Ltd. Şti. entered the list of Afyon's export champions in fifth position. EİB Coordinator Chairman Jak Eskinazi emphasized that Afyon's 2021 exports of USD 381 million have the potential to reach USD 500 million initially and USD 1 billion in the medium term. Speaking at the "Stars of Afyonkarahisar Exports Awards Ceremony," Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Coordinator Chairman Jak Eskinazi drew attention to the fact that Turkey's growth figures in the first two quarters of 2022 did not satisfy employers and workers. Eskinazi stated, "We believe this is hormone-induced growth due to inflation's effects. The fact that the labor force's share of this growth has fallen to 1998 levels is a matter of concern. These growth figures satisfied neither employers nor workers. If this continues, maintaining social peace will not be easy. High inflation figures continue to erode both the purchasing power and moral values of society." Emphasizing that Turkish exporters were negatively affected by the Euro/dollar parity change against the Euro, Eskinazi noted that Turkish exporters' losses from parity have exceeded USD 7 billion.

Highlighting the major difficulties experienced in access to financing in 2022, Eskinazi continued:

"Rediscount credits exist one day and disappear the next. Currently, credit interest rates in commercial banks exceed the interest rate ceiling. How can we finance with these interest rates, produce with 150% producer price increases, and market this with 80% consumer price increases to keep this wheel turning? Despite all these negative conditions, we achieved USD 251 billion in exports over the past 12 months. Turkey maintained its position as a global supplier despite all difficulties in the first half of 2022. In the second half of 2022, our export growth rate has declined. This decline appears to continue in the coming months." Noting that the top 5 exporting companies from Afyon account for 20% of the city's total exports, Eskinazi said, "Our Afyonkarahisar exporters increased their exports by 18% in 2021, from USD 323 million to USD 381 million. The mining sector achieved 65% of Afyon's exports with USD 247 million in exports. The egg sector ranked second with USD 27 million, while our cement, ceramics and earth products sector recorded USD 21 million in exports. I sincerely believe that our Afyon has the potential to exceed USD 500 million initially and USD 1 billion in the medium term."

We have 375 members from Afyon

Ege Mining Exporters Association President İbrahim Alimoğlu, stating that the association has 1,121 members and 375 of these companies are from Afyonkarahisar, noted that Afyonkarahisar exporters rank first among EMİB members.

Emphasizing that 65% of Afyonkarahisar's USD 381 million exports in 2021 were natural stone, Alimoğlu continued:

"Exports from Afyon in January-August 2022 amounted to USD 278 million, while as the mining sector we recorded USD 160 million in exports. In 2021, all of Afyon's export champions came from our natural stone sector. Processed products accounted for 84% of Afyon's total natural stone exports. Considering that processed products account for 69% of Turkey's natural stone exports, it becomes clear that our Afyon exports far more value-added natural stone products. I sincerely congratulate each of our 375 members who achieved this success despite the contraction in China, one of our largest export markets. With the aim of demonstrating the importance of minerals in our lives and sharing with the public that we conduct environmentally conscious production, we have decided to organize the 5th 'Our Life is Minerals Workshop' that we hold alternately with our Istanbul Mining Exporters Association in Afyon."

USD 300 million foreign trade surplus

Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Management Board Chairman Hüsnü Serteser stated that they have a foreign trade surplus in the import-export balance and rank 13th among 81 provinces in Turkey's export-to-import coverage ratio. Noting that Afyonkarahisar achieved USD 380.795 million in exports and USD 81.627 million in imports in 2021, Serteser said, "In 2021, we had a foreign trade surplus of USD 299.168 million. In 2021, our export-to-import coverage ratio was 466.51%. We continue our efforts to ensure this success increases year after year." Stating that exports increase competitiveness and directly contribute to production and employment, Serteser concluded his remarks as follows: "To maintain continuous growth in our exports, we benefit from the Support Programs of our Ministry of Commerce's UR-GE projects. Our province ranked third in the Aegean Region by implementing 6 UR-GE projects. Our Chamber has a signature on 3 of these 6 projects. 2 of these 3 projects were in the marble and natural stone sector and were completed successfully. 1 of our UR-GE projects is ongoing in the machinery sector. In the coming days, we plan to sign UR-GE projects in different sectors."

The marble sector provides employment for 10,000 people

Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Assembly Chairman Dr. Mehmet Sıtkı Merdivenci, noting that marble work is an indispensable profession in Afyonkarahisar and İscehisar, emphasized that the marble sector provides employment for 10,000 people in Afyonkarahisar and provides significant support to the city's economy. Merdivenci, noting that there are 1,130 members operating in the marble sector in the Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, continued as follows: "According to official figures, there are 529 mining licenses in Afyon. Of these licenses, 328 are block-producing licenses in the 2B group and 158 are operational permits. In 2021, total marble production in the country reached 18.251 million tons. Afyon accounted for 9.3% and produced 1.721 million 289 tons. The marble and natural stones extracted in our province include Afyonkarahisar Sugar, Kaplan Postu, Afyonkarahisar Grey, Afyonkarahisar Violet, Afyon White, and Silver Travertine. In 2021, we met 11.74% of Turkey's marble and natural stone exports and ranked third nationally in this field."