75 % of our apparel export volume is made to the European Union where a parity crisis occurred last year and this crisis caused a loss of $ 1.2 billion for Turkish textile sector. In the first half of 2014, we recorded an export volume of $ 9.4 billion to the European Union but this figure remained at $ 8.2 billion in the same period of 2015. Making statement about this issue, Chairman of Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters' Association, Hikmet Tanrıverdi pointed out to the fact that the majority of the loss in export revenue caused from the parity and that there was 18.5 % negative effect of parity for January-June period.
Stating that the apparel export volume decreased 85 million per unit while it increased in terms of tonnage in the first half of this year, Tanrıverdi said that Turkey had recorded an export volume of 3 billion 650 million products in the first half of last year but this figure regressed to 3 billion 565 million in the same period of 2015. Tanrıverdi added that: "We exported more suits, trousers, shirts and women's dresses when compared to the previous year. There is a decline only for t-shirts, sweaters, socks. According to the tonnage figures, it seems that we exported 2.6 % more products compared to the last year.
The Cause of Revenue Loss Is Europe
Tanrıverdi said that the EU parity crisis cost $ 1.2 billion to the apparel industry, and they make 75 % of their apparel exports to EU countries. Stating that, in the first half of the last year, they had recorded an export volume of $ 9.4 billion to EU countries, Tanrıverdi said that, “Although we sold more products in terms of tonnage in the same month of this year, our income remained at $ 8.2 billion. The recession in the global market, especially in Europe and Russia, negatively influenced the apparel sector, which is the second biggest sector in terms of export in Turkey. Apparel export volume was $ 8.2 billion in the first 6 months of this year with a decline of 13.3 % compared to the same period of the last year.”
Reminding that they make 75 % of their apparel export to the EU countries, Tanrıverdi said that almost all of this revenue loss of $ 1.2 billion when compared to the first 6 months of the previous year resulted from these countries. Expressing that their sales to the EU countries, included in the list of the first 10 countries to which they make the highest amount of export in the apparel segment, amounted to $ 6,4 billion from January to June last year, Tanrıverdi stated that this figure was $ 5,3 billion in the same period of this year and only the volume of export to Romania out of the countries in the first 10 list while there were declines in Germany, England, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark and Belgium.
Tanrıverdi reported that income loss is 23.6 % in Germany, 28.2 % in France and 12.8 % in England. Stating that Russia is one of the countries they are experiencing losses, Tanrıverdi added that the volume of export to this country reduced by 43.3 % in the first 6 month of the year due to Ukranian crisis and devaluation of rouble.
Export Volume to Lithuania Increased by 900 %
Stating that demoralisation caused by the negative situation in Europe and Russia has been lessened by the recovery in the Middle Eastern, North African, Ukranian and Lithuanian markets to some extent, Tanrıverdi added that the export volume to Lithuania increased by 900 %.
Stating that their export volume to Iraq increased by 17 % and reached $ 400 million despite the internal disorder, Tanrıverdi said that, “Our export volume to Ukraine which has a serious crisis with Russia increased by 25 %. We are making a big leap in our neighbour Iran. Our export to Iran increased by 124 %. Beside to these countries, we performed well in the markets of Egypt, Israel, Libya, Algeria and the USA. I believe that the sector will achieve recovery and improvement in the EU countries by getting over the stagnation as of the last quarter.”
