Turkey Sets New Strategy to Support Use of Domestic Machinery

‘Turkey imports two times more machinery than its exports. As a citizen of this country, I cannot accept this picture,’ says Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergün. 

Turkey aims to increase machinery exports to $100 billion by 2023, said Turkish Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergün, as he revealed a strategy document and action plan on Tuesday that brings new regulations to increase the domestic machinery usage in the public sector.

Speaking at a meeting, Ergün said it would have been impossible to make these studies 10 years ago. Turkey is today able to develop new projects and reveal long-term strategies and action plans.

Especially in public tenders, projects are developed with the private sector to increase the domestic-produced machinery usage, Ergün said. “The main aim is to become a net exporter in the sector. We target to increase our machinery exports to $100 billion by 2023. To this end, we will improve research and development studies, technology and branding.”

“We have determined 39 action plans for five main targets,” Ergün said. “This strategy document presents an extensive analysis that defines what position we want to reach. This is a good example of a collective work among the public sector, private sector and non-governmental organizations.”

Within the next 20 years, machinery used in production or consumption will need to be renovated, Ergün said. “If this process is well managed, it is possible to form a sector that targets the domestic market and is also able to enter the international markets more aggressively.”

May 3, 2011
SOURCE: HURRIYET DAILY NEWS