As per Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) data, textile and ready to wear garment sector’s exports increased by 3.8 percent in 2018 to US $ 26.1 billion.
İsmail Gülle, TİM’s Chief reportedly said: “Turkey’s textile and apparel sector will turn our currency advantage to an opportunity in 2019 and work through their target thanks to Turkish brands [instead of contract manufacturing].”
Gülle said that this year the textile and apparel sector aims to boost exports by around 10 percent to US $ 29 billion.
Notably, Turkey is currently the seventh-biggest exporter in the world. The aim is now to make it one of world’s top five exporters by raising its global share to 5 percent.
In its bid to amplify exports of garment products, the country will target African, American, Japanese, South Korean and Far East markets.
Textile sector exports to Africa and the Americas picked up last year, along with the EU, Turkey’s main trading partner, Öksüz pointed out.
Markedly, exports to Africa hit an all-time high, surpassing last year’s target of US $1 billion, up by 13.5 percent.