A consultation meeting between the T.R. Ministry of Trade and the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (İSO) Professional Committees was held at Odakule. T.R. Deputy Ministers of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu, Özgür Volkan Ağar, and Mahmut Gürcan, along with high-level officials from the Ministry of Trade, attended the consultation meeting, which was hosted by İSO Board Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan and also attended by Ömer Karadeniz from the Plastics Industrialists Federation. At the event, which was also attended by İSO Board Members and İSO Council and Professional Committee Members, current problems and solution proposals of the industry sector were discussed.
İSO Board Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan, who delivered the opening speech of the meeting, expressed his satisfaction with the consultation meetings they have made traditional with the Ministry of Trade. Bahçıvan explained that they had made detailed preparations before the meeting, asking the professional committees about the problems they faced regarding exports, imports, customs, and market surveillance and inspection, as well as their solution proposals, and said, “In this context, we prepared the issues conveyed to us as a report and submitted it to our Ministry of Trade. With our Council and Professional Committee members presenting these issues related to their sectors at the meeting, we will seek solutions in effective cooperation with our Ministry,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan stated that they closely follow the activities of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry and that they make significant contributions to the economy of Istanbul and the country. Gürcan stated that as the Ministry of Trade, they strive for the development of the country's economy and are always on the side of merchants and industrialists who provide employment and make significant contributions to the economy, adding: “In the retail sector, long payment terms and unfair commercial practices among producers, suppliers, and retail businesses in the supply chain stand out as significant problems. This situation harms both the continuity of businesses and the purchasing power of consumers,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Trade Özgür Volkan Ağar, on the other hand, stated that they are always with Turkish industrialists to support them and help them achieve a more competitive structure. Ağar pointed out that we are in a period where the global trade volume is shrinking and digitalization is fundamentally changing business models, and said, “In this process where the global trade volume shrank by 1.1% in 2023, industrialists play a critical role with their efforts to ensure survival in global competition.”
Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu, in his opening speech, emphasized that as of 2024, world industry and trade are going through a dynamic and volatile process. Tuzcu pointed out that as the geography of global trade changes, Asian countries like China have started to play a larger role at the center of trade, and stated that China’s share in world trade reached 16.5% today, compared to 4% in 2002. Tuzcu explained that 17% of China’s $260 billion foreign trade surplus last year was obtained solely from trade with Turkey, and drew attention to the importance of this situation in understanding Turkey’s position in global trade and the competition it faces.
Following the opening speeches, the consultation meeting continued with İSO Council Members and Professional Committee Members speaking individually to share the current problems of their sectors and their solution proposals. There was broad participation from the Ministry of Trade in the consultation meeting.
ÖMER KARADENİZ: “PLASTICS SECTOR AWAITS SUPPORT”
Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the 35th Group Professional Committee for Plastic Raw Materials and Plastic Injection Products Industry, stating that they have always been in contact with the esteemed chairs of the Ministry of Trade for many years, congratulated them for their support to the industry sector.
Karadeniz stated that the plastics sector, an important part of chemicals ranking in the top two of Turkey’s exports, creates economic value, and specified that they directly serve 35 sectors. Emphasizing that the plastics sector, known for its strategic value, has many problems that need to be addressed, Karadeniz requested support for their sector.
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.