Turkey's carpet exports to touch $2.4bn in 2014

Exports of carpets from Turkey are expected to touch US$ 2.4 billion in 2014, said Istanbul Carpet Exporters Association (IHIB) chairman Ibrahim Yilmiz, during a press conference.

 

Turkey has exported carpets worth $2.19 billion in 2013, which makes it the second largest exporter of the product after China, Mr. Yilzmiz added.

 

According to the IHIB official, around 40 percent of the world’s machine-made carpets are exported from the country, and the carpet industry believes it could achieve the export target of $2.4 billion in 2014.

 

Mr. Yilmiz informed that carpets made in Belgium and the Netherlands sell for ?50 to ?00 per sq ft, whereas Turkish carpets sell between $5 and $15 for the same length, which is one of the main factors increasing the sales of Turkish carpets.

 

However, the Syria crisis may decrease the exports of Turkish carpets to the Middle East, but demand is expected to pick up gradually and Turkey’s carpet industry can reach the export target of $5.5 billion by 2023, he added.

 

Last year, the country exported carpets worth $2.19 billion, indicating a rise of 9.3 percent compared to the exports of carpets made in 2012.