IKMIB Sets Year-End Export Target at $20 Billion

İKMİB Chairman of the Board of Directors Adil Pelister stated: "We concluded last year with great success, achieving a chemical exports record of USD 20.6 billion. Our target for this year was USD 22 billion before the pandemic, but we have revised it taking into account the effects of the pandemic on the economy and foreign trade. We are aiming to reach the USD 20 billion level we achieved last year." In a statement to the AA correspondent, Pelister noted that the chemical sector had made a successful start to the year with 10.6% growth in exports achieved in January, but that the pandemic had affected the chemical sector as it has all sectors, with reduced production in EU countries, the United States and China-dependent countries, particularly China, decreased energy and fuel consumption, supply chain disruptions and falling demand. Pelister stated that İKMİB has acted in accordance with the "health first" principle since the day COVID-19 was announced in Turkey, prioritizing the country's needs: "Believing in the importance of unity and national solidarity, we quickly made decisions with our board of directors and took action to support our country's healthcare workers. Within the scope of the production mobilization of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), we delivered 100,000 liters of disinfectant on behalf of TİM to our Ministry of Health and hospitals. In addition, in cooperation with the Plastics Manufacturers Association, to meet the need for protective face shields for our healthcare workers at high risk to reduce their exposure to the virus, we delivered 100,000 health shields to our Ministry of Health, 3,000 health shields to Gebze State Hospital and 10,000 health shields to the Turkish Red Crescent. Additionally, as İKMİB, we also delivered disinfectant to Çapa Hospital, Cerrahpaşa Hospital and the Red Crescent."

"Chemical sector less impacted"

Adil Pelister reported that as a chemical sector they continued exports as much as possible during the pandemic period and remained the second-largest exporting sector union despite all the difficulties. Pelister stated: "We experienced the effects of COVID-19, which first appeared in March in our country, more significantly in April and May. Particularly with the EU countries, to which we export the most, becoming the center of the pandemic, our chemical exports declined in March, April and May, but ranked first in April. In June, compared to the same month last year, we achieved 10.2% growth, and compared to May of this year, we achieved 21.26% growth. Our 6-month chemical exports declined 13.94% compared to the same period last year, reaching USD 8 billion 642 million. We managed to be the second sector during the 6-month period as well. The increased need for hygiene and cleaning products, pharmaceuticals and medical products during the pandemic period demonstrated once more how important and vital our chemical sector is. Therefore, while our sub-sectors operating in sectors such as automotive, textiles and construction that supply raw materials, semi-finished or finished products to almost all sectors were negatively affected, our other sub-sectors mentioned saw significant increases depending on demand. This enabled our chemical sector to be less affected overall."