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Mediterranean Exporters’ Associations (AKB) Coordinator Minister R. Onur Külçer said that the Turkish Export Products Fair, for which they undertook the national participation organization for the second time in Venezuela, which is among the countries where Turkey has intensified its diplomatic traffic in order to strengthen its foreign trade towards distant markets, is open to both industry and agriculture and industry. He stated that it offers versatile opportunities for the food industries. Noting that applications for the fair, which will be held in the capital Caracas on 26-28 September 2024, continue until May 5, AKB Coordinator Minister R. Onur Klçer said, “In Venezuela, 1.2 billion dollars in industrial products and 1.9 billion dollars in the agriculture and food sector.” dollar potential export volume. Our Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair includes agricultural machinery, food, cleaning materials, hygienic products, personal care products, textiles, ready-made clothing, cosmetics, kitchen supplies, electrical appliances, chemicals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, furniture, paper and forestry products. “We will showcase all sectors, including, and we will strive to raise our export figures much higher.” said.
“TURKEY IS THE 5TH LARGEST SUPPLIER IN VENEZUELA, WITH ANNUAL IMPORTS OF 9.8 BILLION DOLLARS”
Minister noted that Venezuela, a South American country with a population of 26.5 million, has a foreign trade volume of 16 billion 921 million dollars, according to 2023 data, and that the annual import amount of this country, which has widespread airports and ports, is at the level of 9 billion 798 million dollars. Onur Klçer said, “Venezuela produces the most electrical machinery and equipment, machines, mechanical devices and tools, grains, plastics and products, motor vehicles, animal and vegetable oils, flour, dairy and pastry products, food industry residues, animal feed, etc. from all over the world. It imports sugar and sugar products, rubber and rubber products. China, the USA and Brazil are among the most important suppliers of Venezuela. Türkiye is the 5th largest supplier in Venezuela, which imports from 115 countries. Our country, which has shown a stable performance in the Venezuelan market, achieved exports of 299.7 million dollars in 2021, 365.8 million dollars in 2022, and 365.4 million dollars in 2023. In the 7-month period from September, when we held the first Turkish Export Products Fair, until April 2024, our exports to Venezuela increased from 182 million 236 thousand dollars to 201 million 946 thousand dollars and we achieved an increase of 10 percent. We aim to raise these figures much higher. In this context, I invite all our members to participate in the Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair, which we have undertaken to organize, and to evaluate export opportunities.” he said.
“VENEZUELA IS RESETTING CUSTOMS TAXES ON 91.7 PERCENT OF ITS TARIFF LINES”
Evaluating Turkey’s exports in the Venezuelan market according to sectors, Minister Külçer said: “The Trade Development Agreement between Turkey and Venezuela was signed on 21 August 2020. With this agreement, Venezuela will reset customs duties in 91.7 percent of tariff lines within 7 years at the latest. According to the same schedule, Turkey will eliminate customs duties in 91.9 percent of tariff lines and make partial tax reductions in 2 percent. Considering all these, we predict that our mutual trade will accelerate very strongly in the coming years. According to 2023 data, there is a foreign trade volume between Türkiye and Venezuela at the level of 732.5 million dollars. Among Turkey’s 365.4 million dollars of exports, the grains, pulses, oil seeds and products sector ranked first with a value of 219.8 million dollars. This sector was followed by chemicals and products with a value of 57 million dollars, aquatic products and animal products with a value of 20.4 million dollars, furniture with a value of 14.8 million dollars, and ready-made clothing and apparel sectors with a value of 6.7 million dollars. When we examine the figures achieved by AKB in the Venezuelan market, we see that we are making a big breakthrough. Our exports, which were 3.9 million dollars in 2019, increased to 41.5 million dollars by the end of 2023. AKB’s exports to Venezuela last year included chemicals and products with a value of 24.6 million dollars, cereals, pulses, oil seeds and products with a value of 9.3 million dollars, and aquaculture and animal products sectors with a value of 3 million dollars. He pulled away. Specifically in the AKB region, there are significant opportunities in the agriculture and food sector in chicken meat, milk powder, pulses, shelled and dried fruits, flour, vegetable oils, olives, confectionery, biscuits, chocolate, pasta, canned and tomato paste products. We want our members to take advantage of these opportunities and bring more foreign currency to our country. “I believe that we will have a very successful fair this year, just like last year.”
“TURKEY-FRIEND MADURO GIVES GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE COMING OF CL TRADE”
Emphasizing that Venezuelan Minister of State Nikolas Maduro is a friend of Turkey and gives great support to the development of trade between the two countries, Minister Külçer said: “We see Latin America as an alternative to the Middle East, which is our traditional export market. The annual import volume of South American countries reaches 500 billion dollars. In Venezuela, one of the important actors of this geography, demand for almost every product is high, and there are no port and warehouse problems. Since Venezuela is included in the customs union in the Americas, we can also be effective in the markets in this region. At the first Venezuelan Turkish Export Products Fair, Mr. Maduro hosted the delegation led by Turkey’s Ambassador to Caracas Aydan Karamanolu and our ASHB Deputy Minister Ali Can Yamanylmaz in the program on state television, live on state television. Mr. Maduro expressed his satisfaction with the Turkish Export Products Fair being held for the first time in his country and announced that Turkey stood by the Venezuelan nation in its most difficult times and that it would continue to provide all kinds of support to develop bilateral commercial relations. This sincerity and supportive approach of Mr. Maduro pleases us greatly. Moreover, the participation of Venezuelan Deputy Minister of State Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuelan Minister of Productive Agriculture and Lands Wilmar Castro Soteldo, Minister of Commerce Dheliz Alvarez, and Minister of Food Carlos Leal Telleria at the opening ceremony of last year’s fair motivated us at a high level. We are making meticulous preparations to ensure the success of the fair we will organize in September. “We continue our work at a high tempo to strengthen the trade between Turkey and Venezuela and to make AKB-affiliated exporters in this country more effective.”
