T&C share in Turkey GDP is 7%

Clothing and textiles is among the largest and best-performing sectors of the Turkish economy, accounting for more than around 7 per cent of the country’s GDP with more than 56,000 textile and clothing companies operating in the country and employing more than two million people. The clothing and textile industry is largely based on cotton, which has exported some 65 per cent of its production accounting to 80 per cent of exports. The increase in salaries in the Turkish textile and clothing sectors between 2009 and 2013, have led to the industry’s gradual loss of its cost advantage and so the Turkish government has launched ‘Turquality’, a programme designed to provide assistance in marketing, quality upgrade and strategic positioning.

Among the Turkey’s top 10 export products, clothing products and home textiles (mainly knitted) from cotton contributes to 18 per cent, while carpets and other textile floor coverings from man-made textiles contributes to 7 to 8 per cent. At the same time among the top 10 imports, cotton (not carded /combed) contributes to more than 14 per cent, while staple fibre (viscose rayon) and textured yarn (polyester filament) contributes to over 9 per cent.

Textile engineering industry of Turkey
Turkey’s statistics of textile machinery and accessories state that its exports have shown gradual increase since the year 2013(as $326 million), 2014 (as $390 million), 2015 (as $424 million), and 2016 (as $405 million). It’s imports have also shown an improvement since the year 2013 (as $2174 million), 2014 (as $2,000 million), and 2015 (as $1360 million).

It has exported textile machinery and accessories mainly to England (worth $68 million), Germany (worth $39 million), France (worth $29.7 million), India (nil); at the same time it has imported textile machinery and accessories mainly from Germany (worth $376.5 million), Italy ($190.7 million), Switzerland (worth $176.6 million), China (worth $172.6 million) and India (worth $23 million).

The fluctuation of Turkey-India trade
The additional duty imposed from 8 to 12 per cent on textiles and from 28 to 42 per cent on garments have resulted in reduction of India’s garments exports to Turkey from $650 million in 2011-12 to $340 million in 2016-17; on the other side, the textiles exports increased marginally from $330 million to $430 million in the same period. This was because the Turkey’s textile and apparel producers have to compete with subsidised India textile and apparel producers in the domestic and export markets.

During the period 2017-18, India’s trade in textile machinery and accessories for the world is $4,766.78 million has increased by 16.62 per cent. While it’s imports have also increased by 16.02 per cent to an extent of $4,027.29. At the same time, India has exported textile machinery and accessories to an extent of $740 during 2017-18 with an increase of 20 per cent. India’s exports to Turkey is $32.13 million in 2017-18 as compared to $25.26 million in 2016-17.

Opportunities
Turkey needs $130 billion investment in order to meet its high electricity demand. Renewable energy is an area which has gained importance. Technology transfer from India will be beneficial for manufacture of equipment for solar and wind power plants in Turkey. Another area for cooperation is establishment and rehabilitation of hydropower projects. Currently, the total amount of the contracting projects of Turkish contractors in construction sector in India is around $430 million.

From the figures of exports and imports of Turkey, it can be stated that there is a great demand for knitting machines and accessories to be exported to Turkey. Also as the carpet manufacturing requires heavy and sturdy machines and further while working man-made textiles on these machines it results in fast consumption of spares, the scope for supply of accessories in this area is also very good. One can also think of having barter arrangements of supplying carpet machines along with the polyester and staple fibres to Turkey. Huge scope of exporting Indian machines/technology transfers/projects in renewable energy, electricity generation, solar and wind power plants, and hydropower to Turkey do exists.

Due to the allotment of projects in construction and housing areas to Turkish companies in India, the scope for the technical textiles, and their machines is automatically generated, whereby the Government shall take an initiatives in the application/consumption of technical textiles in these projects, while signing agreements for these projects.

Further considering its limitations in R&D, failure to have qualified and intermediate staff, high energy cost, 85 per cent imports, global share in textile manufacturing area is only 1 per cent; and at the same time textile machinery present market of $1.5 billion is targeted to $6 billion in 2023; we feel that a set up of common facilitation centre (CoFC) under the aegis of Turkey-India CoFC for Textile Engineering, funded jointly by the Government of Turkey and India; and managed jointly by TEMSAD and ITAMMA, can help the textile industry of Turkey to develop in above areas and at the same time help India to promote its Make-in-India and Skill India concepts.