The “IIFF (Istanbul International Furniture Fair) International Istanbul Furniture Fair” organized by the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED) at Tüyap Congress and Fair Center and Istanbul Expo Center has started.
At the opening ceremony at the Istanbul Expo Center, Minister Bolat said that the Turkish economy emerged from the difficult year 2024 with very good macroeconomic figures.
Stating that Turkey has continued to grow for 17 consecutive quarters and that the national income will be about $1 trillion 350 billion in 2024, Bolat stated that the national income per capita will reach $15,000.
Bolat explained that despite the global economic recession, the slowdown in international trade and protectionist policies, merchandise exports will exceed $262 billion in 2024, an increase of 2.5 percent, and that it will reduce the foreign trade deficit by $24 billion and have reduced the current deficit The account deficit has fallen to the lowest level in history.
Bolat emphasized that employment has increased by almost 1 million and that they will increase their pace in 2025, explaining that interest rates have begun to fall, competition for discounts on borrowing costs has begun between banks, a decrease of 6 percentage points in export rediscount credits was reached as of January 1st and that they are working to deliver the good news of a new discount in February.
“Our furniture industry has achieved worldwide fame”
Stating that the figures achieved in the Turkish furniture industry are an example of the success story promoted under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister Bolat continued his words as follows:
“Our furniture industry truly gained global fame after opening up to exports. As the best example of this, I would like to share with you a memory I had with Muharrem Çilek 15 years ago. In 1994, around 50 furniture manufacturers from Inegöl were on their way to the Cologne furniture fair. I was the general secretary at the time. A few years later they began taking up booths at the furniture fair there. Muharrem Bey told me: “I bought a 15 square meter stand at the Cologne furniture fair in 1996. There was a 1500 square meter German company next to me, I was very upset, but today I bought a 1500 square meter stand.” Today it is the largest furniture fair in Istanbul, combining Europe and Asia, with two exhibition centers, the Istanbul Fair Center and the Tüyap Fair Center, with 1,000 participating companies in almost 30 halls and 150,000 visitors. “This fair includes 3,000 brands exhibited is an admirable achievement because it shows the place that the Turkish furniture industry has achieved in the world.”
“There is about an 18-fold increase in furniture exports”
Trade Minister Bolat explained that furniture exports, which were $250 million in 2002, have now increased to $4.5 billion, stressing that the increase of about 18 times is a great success.
Pointing to the furniture industry's goal of reaching $12 billion, Bolat said: “If we add wood products, forest products and paper, the sector reaches an export volume of $8 billion. They can sell goods even to the richest and largest markets in China.” They have achieved this with quality, design, workmanship and aesthetics. “It is no longer just an object to sit or lie on, but a product of living art, and in that sense it proves our success to the world,” he said.
“Today a Turkish economy has emerged that exports goods and services worth $375 billion.”
Minister Bolat recalled that 20 to 30 years ago Turkey had products that made the country known to the world, such as Turkish delicacies, Turkish coffee, Turkish bath, and today Turkish fabrics, Turkish clothing, Turkish furniture, Turkish steel, Turkish Household Appliances, Turkish TV Series, Turkish He explained that there are products and services that are known worldwide and identified with Turkey, such as airlines and Turkish tourism.
Expressing that it was not easy to get here, Bolat said: “The political stability, the political reforms, the economic reforms, the opening to international trade and the measures to support the production and export of goods and services , which were achieved under the leadership of our President for 22 years.” years, combined with the success, talent, determination and courage of Turkish entrepreneurs, today we have 375 “A Turkish economy has emerged that values goods and services of billions of dollars exported. We have a foreign trade sector that accounts for about half of our national trade income, including imports,” he said.
Recalling that last year as the Ministry of Commerce, they provided 87.5 million TL in booth support for participation in this fair, Bolat said that this year they will support 50 percent of the participation of more than 1000 companies.
“Last year we provided 24.7 billion TL of export support from our budget, this year we will provide 33 billion TL of export support.”
Minister Bolat pointed out that they support exporters in many projects and said:
“As the Ministry of Commerce, we try to support exports by supporting our exporters with 60 percent of our budget. Last week we announced the 2025 Export Action Plan. With this plan, which consists of 77 action measures, we will increase Turkey's exports.” The number of goods and services is expected to increase to over $390 billion in 2025. Last year we provided 24.7 billion TL in export support, this year we provided 33 billion TL in export support. we will give.
It is our duty to reward success. We say skills should be praised and we fully support you. The furniture industry, which accounts for 2 percent of Turkey's total goods exports, has also reached 2 percent of global furniture exports and has risen to 7th place in the world, but hopefully this is not enough, we will climb higher together. “We have now achieved unity and solidarity among our associations, we will join forces and contribute more to Turkey, the Turkish economy and Turkish exports.”
After the speeches, Minister Bolat and his entourage cut the opening ribbon of the Mass.
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