Famous Turkish male celebrity Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ's recent TV serial "Gümüş" (“Silver”), broadcast in the Arabic-speaking world as “Noor,” captivated millions every time it aired in Middle Eastern countries, despite a lukewarm reception in Turkey itself. The chairman of the exporters' association, Zekeriya Mete, said they have already made an offer to Tatlıtuğ, called the “Brad Pitt of the Middle East,” to be the star of promotions and commercials for these markets. "We hope his image and popularity will help accelerate our exports," Mete claimed.
Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Thursday, Mete commented on recent developments in the sector. He underlined that the major problem in the business is locating adequate sources of unprocessed materials from the domestic market at competitive prices. For example, Mete said, producers are buying sugar beet for sugar production at prices 15 percent higher than international prices.
Subsidies to decrease sugar prices to the levels of international markets are crucial to be able to keep up with global competitors. To protect local farmers and to prevent reliance on foreign producers for this strategic product, Turkey allows sugar imports only in limited quantities and only to sell it back to international markets after adding value to it via local production
Mete says cereal, pulse and oilseed producers in Turkey currently export to 190 countries in addition to supplying the domestic market, so securing unprocessed materials in sufficient quantity is important for them to be able to protect their presence in these markets.
The sector lost nearly 2 percent in export revenue in the first half of 2009 over the same period a year ago, he recalled. Still Mete saw this as not a serious problem since the decline is so small that the ground lost can be easily made up. "The exports of our sector usually climb after the summer, so the drop in the first half doesn't bother us much," he said.
Mete also mentioned Turkey's recent achievements in subsectors in which his association is active. He said Turkey enjoys the number one position in global candy sales and is now attempting to rise to the top position in flour exports, too, by reaching an annual amount of 2 million tons in 2009.
