$933 million 272 thousand were exported to 132 countries in 8 months of the year from Trabzon, Rize, Artvin and Gumushane.
Saffet Kalyoncu, Chairman of the Board of the Eastern Black Sea Exporters’ Association (DKIB), in his written statement, said that in 8 months of the year, $717 million 797 thousand were exported from Trabzon, $140 million 85 thousand from Rize, $43 million 693 thousand from Artvin and $31 million 695 thousand from Gumushane.
Pointing out that Trabzon’s exports increased by 16% and Artvin’s exports increased by 8% compared to the same period of the previous year, Kalyoncu said that due to the decrease in the export of mining products, Rize’s exports decreased by 12% and Gumushane’s exports by 31%.
Kalyoncu drew attention to the fact that hazelnut is the leading export sector with $363 million 671. Kalyoncu stated that aquaculture and livestock products took the second place with $149 million 144 thousand 52. He noted that fresh fruits and vegetables are in the third place with $145 million 445 thousand, minerals and metals are in the fourth place with $96 million 275 thousand, and chemicals and products are in the fifth place with $27 million 893 thousand.
Underlining that $933 million 272 thousand were exported to 132 countries in 8 months of the year from the region, Kalyoncu stated that the 5 countries with the highest exports were the Russian Federation, Italy, Georgia, Germany and the People’s Republic of China, respectively.
Expressing that the biggest problem of industrial exporters in Eastern Black Sea and Trabzon is the shortage of land to invest and the lack of sufficient land in organized industrial zones, Kalyoncu said:
“Developing an environmentally friendly, green transformation, high value-added industry in our Eastern Black Sea region and providing employment opportunities for our highly educated young population, which is close to 30% in the provinces of the region, will be possible with the establishment of new organized industrial zones in the region and the allocation of suitable investment land for investors. It is our most important demand that the politicians in our country, instead of the short-term policies of winning elections, see the future 100 years, as we see examples in developed countries, and produce policies and create projects and investments according to this situation.”
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz