Turkish firms to form virtual trade missions

ANKARA - Demirören News Agency

The Turkish Trade Ministry will organize virtual trade delegations, fairs and e-marketplaces in collaboration with exporters’ associations, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan has said.

“Without letting the pandemic to prevent developing our trade relations, we will put sectoral trade delegations into practice on virtual platforms,” she said in a statement on April 22, recalling that nearly all of the trade fairs and other business organizations have been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak that spread to the globe since February.

The Trade Ministry has initiated virtual trade platforms and digital marketing methods in response to the recent developments, she added.

As part of the initiative, Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters Association (İKMİB) has founded a virtual mission to speak with their Colombian counterparts on exporting construction chemicals and paint industry products in May, according to Pekcan’s remarks.

“Thirteen Turkish firms will join the virtual trade mission, alongside 15 firms from Colombia and 10 firms from other Latin American countries,” she said.

In the upcoming months, the Trade Ministry will organize virtual trade fairs, she added.

Household and Kitchen Appliances Industrialists and Exporters Association (EVSİD) chair Burak Önder said that they have started trainings on e-commerce and digital marketing for their member companies.

“Our aim is to strengthen our digital muscles. We will have meetings with our counterparts in South Korea and Europe in May as part of the e-delegation initiative,” he said.