Turkish border city boosts Syria exports

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s ready wear exports to Syria, currently torn by civil unrest and violence, increased eight-fold in the first six months of the year.

The exports from the southern province of Kilis, near Turkey’s border with Syria, have multiplied by an even more incredible 85 times, data obtained by the Turkish Exporters Council (TİM) showed.

Exports from Kilis reached $4.5 million in the first six months, from $53,000 of last year.

During the period, when Turkey’s overall ready wear exports surged by almost 7 percent, its exports to Syria jumped to $22 million from $2.6 during the same period last year.

Abdulkadir Çıkmaz, chairman of Southeast Anatolia Exporter Unions (GAİB), said particularly in the regions controlled by Syrian opposition groups, clothes and food needs were at a critical level.

“Tradesmen buy the goods at issue [garment goods] from us by paying cash,” he said, explaining the reason behind the remarkable rise in Turkey’s exports in general and those from Kilis in particular.

Çıkmaz noted that this rise shouldn’t be perceived as temporary, as the need of opposition-controlled regions would be permanent.

He added that exports to Syria were continuing intensely at Cilvegözü at Akçakale border gates as well.