Press release…
Celal Kadooğlu, Chair of the Southeastern Anatolia Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters’ Association, in his written statement, said that Türkiye exported around 700 million dollars to Syria in the first half of this year.
“Among the exporting sectors, cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products ranked first with a share of 35.7 percent. In this period, more than half of the 251 million dollars worth of cereals exports to Syria were realised from Southeastern Anatolia. Along with Iraq, trade relations with Syria, which has been at the top of our total exports for many years, are of great importance for our regional economy. Families in Syria procure many basic food products, especially wheat flour and vegetable oils, from Türkiye. According to 2023 data, Syria currently imports 70 percent of its sunflower oil and wheat flour from Türkiye,” he said.
Pointing out that due to the war conditions, millions of people left their homes, which had a negative impact on the country’s economy, he noted, “Among those who left the country, groups with high purchasing power were at the forefront. Depending on the possible improvements in the Syrian economy, we may see increases in other export items such as confectionery and cocoa products. As one of the leading countries in the region, Syria has a geostrategic importance due to its geographical location. Syria can be a strong partner for us in unlocking this potential and opening up to new markets in the Middle East.”
“As business people in the region, we would of course be very pleased to see a new chapter in the political relations between the two countries and the establishment of contacts that prioritise normalisation under the leadership of our President. With our historically rooted ties and strong commercial connections, we are ready to contribute to this process as much as we can,” he added…