In the report released at the beginning of June, the World Bank criticised severely the Turkey's export policy. In report, it was emphasized that Turkey exports the textile products which can be produced by all the countries and stated that Turkey should withdraw from this sector. The World Bank, which reported the export products of Turkey to be of poor quality, claimed that the sector sells assembled product.
According to the report "The Role of Foreign Trade in the Transition to High-Income Status" conducted by the World Bank, Turkey's exportation is not enough in terms of variety of items. Turkey has begun to increase its exports in such fields as metals, machinery, agricultural food products and automotive parts in recent years while it was largely dependent on the export of garments. According to the report, Turkey focuses on the lowest priced products compared to the rival countries and the report also includes that the export products of Turkey cause some quality problems. In report, it was stated that the firms, which produce more quality export products, can continue to exist in the market. It was expressed that Turkey specialized in the export of products which are not highly demanded over the world and that the export products of Turkey are not preferred adequately in the global market.
The Report Was Criticized by the Sector
In his statement about Turkish textile sector, Chairman of Textile and Raw Materials Exporters' Association, İsmail Gülle said that: "The turnover of textile sector equals to 700 billion dollars around the world. The turnover of garment industry amounts 1 trillion 100 billion dollars. Despite this huge turnover in the world, our export volume equals to 30 billion dollars. In 2013, the fact that the textile and the garment are the industries which ranks first in the exportation is not a very desirable situation in the country. But, the sector is changing. 50 percent of the shuttle sent to space includes textile. The sector should not be seen as just clothes. Turkey doesn't only produce clothes.”
Cem Negrin, Chairman of the Turkish Association of Clothing Industrialists, emphasized in a written statement that this report which may be seem correct at the first sight contains significant errors in details. Negrin expressed that: “We are worried about that a new period of negative image will be created with these recommendations for our traditional export sectors such as ready wear and textile sectors. These recommendations which will create a perception that Turkey should not take part in these sectors correspond to a period when these sectors in such EU Countries as Portugal, Spain and Italy are supported and seen as prioritised sectors for overcoming the crisis. Even if this is not coincidence, it should draw attention. Turkey has headed towards products and sectors with higher added value within the new global competition conditions owing to the normalisation and recovery in the economy in the last 10 years. Ready wear sector, too, has focused on higher added value and more expensive products in production and export within the existing global competition conditions."
