Turkish companies eye Iraq opportunity
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 19, 2009 10:13
GAZİANTEP - Turkish companies are ready for the Fourth Iraq International Fair, which will start May 21 in the southeastern city of Gaziantep. The city has become a gateway to the Iraqi market and plans to organize the successful event under the name of ’Middle East Fair’starting from next year
Alongside nearly 700 companies, representatives from 20 countries and six top ministers are expected to attend to the 4th Iraq International Fair, to be held in the southeastern city of Gaziantep. Preparations are ongoing for the fair, which will run from May 21 to 24.
Bilgin Aygül, president of Forum Fuarcılık, the organizing company, said the fair has an important mission in providing permanency to commercial ties between two neighbors in the current delicate situation in Iraq. Aygül added that State Minister Zafer Çağlayan, five ministers and four deputy ministers, more than 100 mayors, general managers and specialists from Iraq would attend the opening of the fair. Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges, is also expected to attend.
Noting that Iraq is placing increasing importance on Turkey due to its expertise in construction and high quality consumer goods, Aygül said Turkish firms should realize the value of this fair.
Aygül said Iraq’s market became crucial for Turkish exporters in the past few years. "Iraq ranked eighth in Turkey’s exports," he said. "Turkey saw a 76 percent increase in the first quarter of the year in exports and Iraq was in second spot. While Turkey saw a 32 percent decrease in exports overall, exports to Iraq have increased and that is a hopeful development for Turkish companies. Exports to Iraq can reach $10 billion in a few years, as Turkey and Iraq have complementary economies.
"Iraq may purchase food products worth $5 billion every year," he continued. "It also is targeting to increase its oil production to 4 million barrels per day, from the current 2.5 million. Thus, it has to invest in oil infrastructure. We are faced with a country which has high purchasing power and needs investment."
Gaziantep’s share in exports
In Turkish exports to Iraq, the share of the city of Gaziantep has reached 33 percent, a success that largely depends on the Iraq International Fair. Despite the fragile situation in Iraq, Gaziantep is trying hard to keep the commercial link, Aygül said, adding that businesspeople in Gaziantep had realized an export volume of $551 million in three months. "This year, 700 companies from 20 countries will be competing for Iraq market," he said. "Fair participants will be able to have bilateral talks with Iraqi representatives and firms. This year the interest toward the fair has increased and Gaziantep has become one of the most important commercial meeting points in the Middle East."
Next year, the fair will be organized under the name of "Middle East Fair" and will take place with the participation of Iran, Iraq and Syria.
The Gaziantep fair will be organized under three different sectors this year. The first is construction technologies, building materials, energy materials and equipments. The second sector is agriculture, food, food technologies and supply industry. The third sector is general commercial and industrial products.
For the fair, flights will be organized from Baghdad, Mosul, Abril and Basra under the organizations of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Trade State Company For Iraqi Fairs and Forum Fairs & Promotion Co. Also, buses will move to the fair from Aleppo and Dohuk.Visitors will be organized within the context of procurement delegations from Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Lebanon and Egypt, according to a statement at the www.iraqinternationalfair.com Web site.
Bilgin Aygül, president of Forum Fuarcılık, the organizing company, said the fair has an important mission in providing permanency to commercial ties between two neighbors in the current delicate situation in Iraq. Aygül added that State Minister Zafer Çağlayan, five ministers and four deputy ministers, more than 100 mayors, general managers and specialists from Iraq would attend the opening of the fair. Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges, is also expected to attend.
Noting that Iraq is placing increasing importance on Turkey due to its expertise in construction and high quality consumer goods, Aygül said Turkish firms should realize the value of this fair.
Aygül said Iraq’s market became crucial for Turkish exporters in the past few years. "Iraq ranked eighth in Turkey’s exports," he said. "Turkey saw a 76 percent increase in the first quarter of the year in exports and Iraq was in second spot. While Turkey saw a 32 percent decrease in exports overall, exports to Iraq have increased and that is a hopeful development for Turkish companies. Exports to Iraq can reach $10 billion in a few years, as Turkey and Iraq have complementary economies.
"Iraq may purchase food products worth $5 billion every year," he continued. "It also is targeting to increase its oil production to 4 million barrels per day, from the current 2.5 million. Thus, it has to invest in oil infrastructure. We are faced with a country which has high purchasing power and needs investment."
Gaziantep’s share in exports
In Turkish exports to Iraq, the share of the city of Gaziantep has reached 33 percent, a success that largely depends on the Iraq International Fair. Despite the fragile situation in Iraq, Gaziantep is trying hard to keep the commercial link, Aygül said, adding that businesspeople in Gaziantep had realized an export volume of $551 million in three months. "This year, 700 companies from 20 countries will be competing for Iraq market," he said. "Fair participants will be able to have bilateral talks with Iraqi representatives and firms. This year the interest toward the fair has increased and Gaziantep has become one of the most important commercial meeting points in the Middle East."
Next year, the fair will be organized under the name of "Middle East Fair" and will take place with the participation of Iran, Iraq and Syria.
The Gaziantep fair will be organized under three different sectors this year. The first is construction technologies, building materials, energy materials and equipments. The second sector is agriculture, food, food technologies and supply industry. The third sector is general commercial and industrial products.
For the fair, flights will be organized from Baghdad, Mosul, Abril and Basra under the organizations of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Trade State Company For Iraqi Fairs and Forum Fairs & Promotion Co. Also, buses will move to the fair from Aleppo and Dohuk.Visitors will be organized within the context of procurement delegations from Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Lebanon and Egypt, according to a statement at the www.iraqinternationalfair.com Web site.