Sending food to rebels up Turkey’s Syrian exports

GAZİANTEP, Turkey - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey’s exports to Syria jumped to $76.5 million in three months. DHA Photo

The exports of Turkey’s southeastern provinces to Syria have soared more than six fold in the first three months compared to the same period in previous years, with most of these exported products being food and cement sent to provinces controlled by opposition militants.

After grinding to a halt in the past two years, exports to Syria from southeastern Turkey have this year reached $76.5 million in just three months, according to data provided by the Southeastern Anatolia Exporter Unions. The figure for the whole of last year was only $62.8 million.

Compared to same period of last year, exports have surged by 643 percent. Since the breaking off of once-bright relations between the two countries, Turkey’s exports to Syria plummeted to $63 million in 2012. The recent increase stems from the exports to opposition groups.