Turkey to improve Iraqi exports quality

ARBIL - Anatolia News Agency

Trucks wait in the queue to enter Iraq. Turkey will improve auditing processes to prevent ‘poor quality’ products from entering Iraq, says an official. AA photo

Turkey will improve auditing processes to prevent “poor quality” products from entering Iraq, the Economy Ministry’s product supervision general director, Mehmet Cömert, said Dec. 20.

“Data from the last 10 months shows that Iraq is second only to Germany as the largest export market for Turkey,” Cömert said, adding that 85 percent of products were exported to northern Iraq. Turkish and Iraqi officials gathered in Arbil to discuss the auditing requirements for Turkey’s exports to Iraq and the certification process of new products subjected to surveillance.

Cömert said the Iraqi government has had difficulties sustaining high-quality products for its citizens because of the collapse of certain administrative and legal structures after the war, which resulted in the government authorizing French Bureau Veritas and Swedish SGS to audit products before shipping since 2011.

Speaking of the high fees charged by these companies, Cömert said, “They charge $320 for each shipped party, which can reach up to $3,200 as the party becomes larger.

They also charge if they conduct tests during this process. Since Turkey is one of the biggest exporters to Iraq, this especially affects our small-scale companies exporting $20-30,000 worth.”

Furnishings, ceramics and food products will also be subjected to monitoring starting Jan. 1, 2013 as Turkey works to extend this process over time to make it a smoother transition.