TİM: "$300 Billion in Exports Planned Over 5 Years"

TİM: "USD 300 Billion Export Target Planned Over Five Years" The Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), the single umbrella organization in Turkey for 61 exporter unions across 27 sectors representing 100,000 exporters, is pursuing its efforts at full capacity to strengthen the 'Made in Türkiye' brand and reach export targets. In this context, the TİM Extended Board of Presidents Meeting was held with the participation of Commerce Minister Mehmet Muş, TİM President İsmail Gülle, and the heads of Exporter Unions. The export community, which serves as the frontline representatives of Turkey's economy and trade diplomacy, conveyed their demands and solution proposals regarding exports to Commerce Minister Mehmet Muş during the meeting held at TİM's Foreign Trade Complex. TİM President İsmail Gülle shared the work carried out on behalf of the export community, as well as targets and expectations for the future, with Minister Muş during the meeting.     In his remarks at the meeting, TİM President Gülle emphasized that exporters managed to overcome all difficult obstacles in their path even during an unprecedented period in history like the pandemic, and added: "Since taking office, we have conducted our work with a sense of responsibility and awareness in every area concerning exports, together with the heads of our exporter unions, to take our country's exports further. We concluded 2020 with USD 169.6 billion, surpassing our export target. A strong recovery in our exports was observed from the fourth quarter of 2020 onward. This momentum continued and accelerated in 2021. As of July, we exceeded USD 200 billion for the first time in history in a 12-month period. We set monthly export records in 10 out of the last 12 months. In the first eight months of the year, we achieved USD 140 billion in exports, a 37% increase compared to the same period last year. This major success is the work of our esteemed presidents and every member of the export community. I congratulate all our presidents once more for these outstanding achievements. With our government's support, I believe we will continue moving forward determinedly toward our export targets in the new period. I hope we will increase our efforts that have brought our exports to this point, and we will bring Turkey to USD 300 billion in exports within five years." TİM E-Export Council Activities After noting that Turkey has reached a point where it must now move toward higher value-added exports, Gülle stated: "Since the early 2000s, our country has achieved significant gains across all sectors. Our production facilities have been modernized, our teams have become specialized, our capacities have increased, and we have become a center for quality products. Now is the time to increase the added value of our exports. As TİM, we are carrying out numerous activities to increase the added value of our exports. With this aim in mind, we established the TİM Brand Council. Because we believe that only exporters can elevate the 'Made in Türkiye' brand. Our council, comprised of representatives from Turkish firms that have proven themselves internationally, is continuing its work with full commitment to making important contributions to the branding process in our country.   Additionally, our efforts to establish the TİM E-Export Council are ongoing, with the aim of bringing e-export matters to the agenda of our Assembly and relevant institutions, and expanding the e-export ecosystem at both national and international levels." He concluded his remarks as follows: "We have not forgotten our SMEs, which are the driving force of our country. In this regard, we have continuously carried out TİM SME export mobilization training programs. We can clearly see the results of our mobilization in our exporter company numbers. On average, 1,500 new companies began exporting each month in 2020. In 2021, this average has risen further to approximately 1,700 companies per month. We are aware of the necessity of stronger exports for a stronger Turkey. We have brought annual exports above USD 200 billion this year. God willing, by year's end, we will all together reach USD 211 billion in exports as set in the Medium-Term Program."