Exporters in western Turkey set $12 bln target for 2011

Turkish exporters in western Turkey set a target of $12 billion worth of exports for 2011, said an official from a local exporters' unions.

Mustafa Turkmenoglu, chairman for coordination of the Aegean Exporters' Unions (EIB), said exports made by their member unions reached to 8,695 million USD in 2010 which marked a 36 percent increase over a year earlier.

"We are expecting to reach well over $12 billion in 2011 if foreign currency rates prove to favor Turkish exporters in competing with their global rivals," Turkmenoglu said in a written statement.

Turkmenoglu said seven out of 12 member unions had achieved to increase their volume exports in 2010 over 2009 while five of them fell behind their performance over a year earlier.

Turkmenoglu said exports of iron and non-iron metals from the Aegean region ranked first with a 33 percent increase to reach $1,464 million, adding that was followed by exports of ready-wear clothing and textiles with a surge of 15 percent to total $1,040 million.

Turkmenoglu said the sharpest drop in exports came in olive and olive oil sector to stand at $125,5 million.


AA