Turkey’s domestically produced cell phones at all-time high

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Over 1.71 million cell phones were produced locally in Turkey last year. AFP Photo

The number of cell phones produced locally in Turkey increased more than three times in 2014 compared to 2013, Transport Minister Lütfi Elvan said on Jan. 26.

“In 2013, 347,000 cell phones were manufactured in Turkey. But last year, local production increased to 1.71 million, an increase of 208 percent,” Elvan said.

Turkish officials see the production of high-tech goods like smartphones, computers and electronic optical systems within its borders as one of the main solutions to reducing the country's current account deficit.

But Elvan said current production levels were far from satisfying the Turkish market, where around 15 million smartphones are sold every year.

“I believe we should concentrate on efforts to manufacture devices on par with the products of global companies, in order to meet domestic demand and also export them,” he added.

In late December 2014, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci announced plans for a high-tech production program, with a budget of $3.5 billion, to boost the local production of high-tech devices such as smartphones, computers and other electronic devices.

Around 3 million locally produced mobile phones are expected to enter the Turkish market in 2015.