EMKOÜİB aims to boost its exports to $1 billion in 2024

The Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association (EMKOÜİB) aims to increase its exports from USD 900 million in 2023 to USD 1 billion in 2024. EMKOÜİB held its 2023 financial general assembly and "Export Stars Awards Ceremony". At the awards ceremony, a total of 15 awards were presented in categories including the company with the most exports, the company with the most value-added exports, the company exporting to the most countries, and the company with the largest export increase. At the 2023 financial general assembly, EMKOÜİB Chairman Ali Fuat Gürle delivered a speech. Gürle stated that export targets for 2024 are USD 1 billion. [caption id="attachment_160946" align="aligncenter"] Ali Fuat Gürle[/caption]  

Exports declined by 4% in 2023

Gürle said that Turkey had a difficult year in the Furniture, Paper and Forest Products sector in 2023, stating: "The overall export performance of the three sectors we represent achieved USD 7.9 billion in 2023 with a 6% decline. Looking at our sectors' share of Turkey's overall exports, the furniture sector provided the largest contribution with exports exceeding USD 4.5 billion. The paper products sector followed the furniture sector with USD 2.5 billion in exports. The forest products sector generated USD 155 million in total exports in 2023. Looking at the export figures for the Aegean Region, we achieved USD 900 million in exports in 2023, experiencing a 4% decline compared to the previous year."

Goal is to raise unit prices by exporting higher value-added products

Gürle said, "While the export quality of the three sectors we represent is above the country average, we can say that our 12% share of Turkey's overall exports as the Aegean region is below our potential. We have set our sector target for 2024 as USD 1 billion as the Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association. Our aim in all sectors we represent is not only to increase export figures, but to increase unit prices and consequently total exports through higher value-added, design-focused products. When we examine the Furniture sectors separately, the furniture sector stands out as one of the sectors positively affected by changes in global supply chains, particularly over the last two years, thus increasing its potential. In the furniture sector, where we rank among the top 8 in world exports, our target is the top 5 and beyond. The furniture sector is also the sector closest to our Republic's 2023 - 100th anniversary export targets and continuously maintains a foreign trade surplus," he said.   Overseas marketing activities directed toward South Africa, Morocco-Senegal and India Ege Mobilya Kâğıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği Vice Chairman Hikmet Güngör also delivered a speech. Güngör stated: "As the Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association, our first organization will begin with a Saudi Arabia Sectoral Trade Delegation with the participation of 23 companies, which we will hold between 5-9 May 2024. Following this, we will have overseas marketing activities in August to South Africa, in September to Morocco-Senegal, and in November to India. Within the scope of the 2028 Export Promotion and Marketing Vision, we have started implementing the Furniture Turquality Project under the coordination of Istanbul Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association, together with Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association, Central Anatolia Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association and Mediterranean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association," he said. Sharing information about the association's activities conducted in 2023, Güngör stated: "Within the scope of the 'Aegean Furniture' International Competitiveness Development Support (UR-GE) project conducted in 2023 with the goal of increasing exports of Aegean furniture companies; training and consulting activities were provided during 2023, and we held the Morocco Sectoral Trade Delegation in the last quarter of 2023. In 2024, with our previous Ur-Ge project ending and new company participation, our 'Aegean Furniture' Ur-Ge project has begun anew. Another project we highlight is design and value-added furniture exports, the Breaking Conventions Design Competition, which we are organizing for the 4th time this year under the theme 'Mobilia'. We are conducting studies to bring designers and companies together to enable the furniture sector to develop brands and focus on design-oriented production," he said.

"67% of Turkey's general exports in 2023 were made by our association"

Ege Mobilya Kâğıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği Vice Chairman Nurettin Tarakçıoğlu stated: "In the non-wood forest products sector, we have products such as oregano and laurel in which we have a voice in world exports. Compared to Turkey's overall non-wood forest products sector, the Aegean region exports at approximately 3 times the unit price, and in 2023, 67% of Turkey's overall exports in this sector were made by our association. The biggest problem we face in our non-wood sector is quality and adulteration issues. With the aim of ensuring these products are produced using correct methods, and increasing the production areas of products such as laurel, sage, oregano and rosemary, we are conducting various studies under the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for sustainable production. We are conducting necessary work to solve the problems faced by our members, making appeals to relevant authorities, defending our members' rights and trying to solve their problems. At the same time, working hand in hand with our farmers, we are implementing joint efforts to ensure our products are sold at their proper value," he said.  

They will implement the 'Turkish Herbal Tea Turquality' project

Tarakçıoğlu said: "Within the scope of the Ministry of Commerce's '2028 Export Vision', to ensure the best promotion of the Turkish brand in markets chosen by our sectors as target countries such as the US and Germany, we will implement the Turkish Herbal Tea Turquality Project for 4 years in the furniture, paper and medicinal and aromatic plants sectors, under the coordination of our associations and in partnership with Mediterranean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association. We will showcase to the world a different aspect of our world-leading non-wood forest products such as oregano, laurel and rosemary, the power of 'Medicinal and Aromatic Plants', through the 'Turkish Herbal Tea' brand promotion. In this project, the US and Germany will be our priority target markets," he said.

Paper sector exports in 2023 amounted to USD 538 million

Ege Mobilya Kağıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği Board Member Cüneyt Başbakkal stated: "Our paper products sector is another locomotive sector, and our share as Aegean Exporter Associations in Turkey is 21.5%. While Turkey's overall paper sector exports experienced an 11% decline in 2023, the Aegean Region remained limited at 4%. In paper exports, Egypt and Iran stand out in the Aegean Region, while England stands out in Turkey overall. The paper industry achieved USD 2.5 billion in exports in 2023. In the January-March period of 2024, a 2% increase was recorded. In the Aegean Region, the average export unit price in paper exports is above Turkey's average. The Aegean Region's paper sector exports in 2023 amounted to USD 538 million. For the paper sector, our country's external dependence on cellulose, which is the main raw material for paper, has unfortunately been ongoing for some time. We will have work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the coming period regarding increasing industrial forest areas and including cellulose in strategic products," he said. Ege Mobilya Kağıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği Furniture Working Committee Chairman A. Müjdat Kemer delivered a presentation on the furniture sector's sustainability efforts and shared information about the Furniture Sector Sustainability Working Group.

"Export Stars Awards Ceremony" was held

EMKOÜİB also held the Export Stars Awards Ceremony. Alkim Kağıt A.Ş. was the company with the largest export increase in 2023, while Dorya Dekorasyon A.Ş. was announced as the company with the highest unit price per kilogram and most value-added exports. Sandalyeci A.Ş. was deemed worthy of the award as the company exporting to the most countries in 2023.