Turkish Packaging Sector achieved $ 407 million in return for foreign trade surplus

Packaging Manufacturers' Association announced the import and export figures of the Turkish packaging sector for the first half of 2017. The packaging sector, one of the rare sectors that do not have foreign trade deficit, succeeded in reducing imports by 8% in value within the first six months of 2017 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and achieved $ 407 million in return for foreign trade surplus. The export volume of the packaging sector increased by 7 percent in quantity compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Packaging Manufacturers' Association (ASD) released the export-import assessment report pertaining to the first half of 2017. In reference to the report, 984 thousand 134 tons of packaging export which had been realized within the first six months of 2016, increased to 1 million 51 thousand 713 tons in the first six months of 2017 with 7% of increment in quantity. As a result of elaboration on import figures, 897 thousand 935 tons of packaging import within the first 6 months of 2016 had been realized as 844 thousand 916 tons within the first 6 months of 2017. Value-based imports of packaging decreased to the level of 1 billion 565 million 574 thousand dollars from 1 billion 692 million 662 thousand dollars. The total import volume of the Turkish packaging sector decreased by 6 percent in quantity and 8 percent in value respectively compared to the previous year.

The majority of export was made to Germany

With regard to the package type, plastic packaging, which is ranked first with 65 percent share is followed by paper/cardboard packaging with 24 percent share. Metal packaging was ranked in third place with 9 percent share in exports. In the first six months of 2017, Germany, Iraq, England, Israel, France, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands, USA and Bulgaria were the top 10 countries with the highest export value. The top 10 importing countries in the first 6 months of this year were Germany, China, Italy, USA, South Korea, France, England, Finland, Spain and Belgium. With regard to the package type, the plastic packaging import ratio was 57 percent and the paper/cardboard packaging import ratio was 34 percent.

Zeki Sarıbekir, Chairman of the Packaging Manufacturers' Association (ASD), said: "The Turkish packaging sector continues to increase its strength in world markets with innovative and value added products. We are exporting to more than 180 countries including the European Union countries, the Middle East, North Africa, the Caucasus and the Balkans, and we continue to win new market shares. Our target for 2023 sector is to reach 30 billion dollar market size and 10 billion dollar export figure. 2017's first half results circumstantiate our confidence that we will reach this target. "

Top countries engaged in export transactions within the first half of 2017