THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
Aegean textile exporters focused on green transformation and digitalization.
Jak Eskinazi, Chairman of Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, said that they witnessed shrinkage of up to 50 percent to 60 percent in textile, which is one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic process.
Exports of textile and raw materials, in January-June 2020 period, decreased by 22 percent compared to last year and amounted to 3 billion dollars.
Eskinazi said, “As the Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, we closed June with exports of 16.4 million dollars, up 49 percent compared to the previous month. This month, the increase in our exports continues.”
Eskinazi noted, “We are the 6th largest supplier sector in the world and the 2nd largest in the European Union (EU). The EU, to which we realize 50 percent of our exports, is one of our most important markets. That is why we want the recent travel restrictions to EU countries to be lifted.”
Eskinazi also shared this information; “The countries to which we export the most in the first half are Italy with 279 million dollars, Germany with 171 million dollars, USA with 151 million dollars, Bulgaria with 138 million dollars, England with 136 million dollars, Russia with 115 million dollars, Egypt with 112 million dollars and Spain with 108 million dollars.”
Stating that they live in a period in which those who can follow the changes in the ecosystem, respond to demands online and quickly by producing solutions and correctly analyze new gaps will win, Eskinazi explained, “There were two important concepts that stood out in this process. The first is that habits change and the use of resources becomes more conscious and the second is digitalization. Textile is one of the sectors that causes the most damage to the environment and leads the most water waste in the world. We have to read the new normal correctly. Climate crisis, environmentally friendly production and digitalization should be the target of recovery after coronavirus.”
Eskinazi continued as follows; “We need to establish a win-win relationship by working harder on the axis of green transformation, sustainability and digitalization. We believe this will be much more effective both in terms of economy and health.”
“The Sustainability Manifesto, announced recently by our Association, which declared 2020 as the ‘Year of Sustainability’, was created in this context,” Eskinazi added.
“The pandemic has shown us that we need to get out of the conformist lifestyle and status quo thinking brought about by fast disposable habits and transform from the consumer society to a society of ‘prosumer’. Countries that build their sustainability and digitalization policies on solid grounds and take action rapidly now dominate the global economy,” Eskinazi concluded…
