Exporters use Turkey's Export Master Plan as road-map

ISTANBUL

Turkish exporters use as a roadmap the country's Export Master Plan, released at the end of last month, a member of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board said.

The plan is a study project, exporters should make special work for targeted countries, Murat Kolbasi told Anadolu Agency.

Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan announced the Export Master Plan will select 17 target countries and prioritize five sectors to raise the country's exports.

The plan named the machinery, automotive, electric and electronics, chemical and food industries as priority sectors, and the U.S., Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, South Korea, India, Iraq, the U.K., Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Russia and Chile as target countries.

Kolbasi stressed: "Turkey has a significant location in the global trade, it is an important production hub for several goods, but this potential does not reflect our exports."

Turkish companies have been making contract manufacturing since the 1990s, they should make value-added productions with their brands to raise incomes, he added.

Referring to Turkey and the U.S. bilateral trade target of $100 billion annually, he said Turkey should raise its share in major countries' foreign trade such as the U.S. and China.

New markets, new customers

He also said the Turkish government should create country-based special incentives for targeted regions instead of relying on the general incentive system.

Noting that Turkish companies could mix their sectors and gastronomy, he added: "Turkish cuisine is strong but we do not market it in the right way."

He said Turkish people have special methods for making tea and coffee and Turkish firms can use technology to market them.

Kolbasi, who is also the CEO of electronic home appliances company Arzum, produces Turkish coffee maker and sells it all around the world.

Turkey should highlight its strong sectors and brands to enter new markets and reach customers directly, he said, and added: "Turkish textile and food retailers are successful in our near geography, they can also go to remote countries."

Turkish companies will be successful if they work together and generate branding strategy, said Kolbasi.