R. Onur Kılıçer, Coordinator Chairman of AKIB and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Furniture, Paper, and Forest Products Exporters’ Association (AKAMIB), Saadettin Çağan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (AKMIB), Ali Can Yamanyılmaz, Vice President of the Mediterranean Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters’ Association (ASHIB), Bülent Aymen, Vice President of AKAMİB, Uğur Ateş, Vice President of AKMİB and board members of these unions attended the Turkish Export Products Fair which was held with the support of the Ministry of Trade and under the coordination of the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM).
AKİB Coordinator President and Mediterranean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters’ Association (AKAMİB) Board of Directors attended the Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair, which was held with the participation of 32 companies between 20-24 September, with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and the coordination of the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM). President R. Onur Kılıçer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (AKMİB) Saadettin Çağan, Vice President of the Mediterranean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters Association (ASHİB) Ali Can Yamanyılmaz, and
Executive Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez cut the opening ribbon of the fair
Delcy Rodríguez, Executive Vice President of Venezuela, Wilmar Castro Soteldo, Venezuelan Minister of Productive Agriculture and Lands, Dheliz Alvarez, Minister of Commerce, Carlos Leal Telleria and Aydan Karamanoğlu, the Turkish Ambassador in Caracas attended the opening ceremony of the Venezuelan Turkish Export Products Fair. After the opening ceremony, Rodriguez and her accompanying delegation and Ambassador Karamanoğlu, accompanied by the managers of the Associations affiliated with AKİB, visited the stands of Turkish companies and received information from the relevant people about the products on display. ASHİB Vice President Ali Can Yamanyılmaz presented a painting with his picture to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in memory of the fair.
More than 9 thousand Venezuelan company representatives visited the fair, which allowed Turkish companies to communicate directly with their Venezuelan counterparts for five days, and more than 150 commercial agreements were reached.
Marcos Meléndez, Manager of La Guaira Special Economic Zone, one of the important special economic zones of Venezuela, also visited the fair and held talks with Turkish companies about investment opportunities. In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Turkish companies and La Guaira Governorship to evaluate investment opportunities. Ambassador Karamanoğlu, who consulted with Turkish exporters in the giant organization and made evaluations about Venezuela’s export potential in relevant sectors, hosted the Turkish delegation at the reception held at the embassy.
“We held the first Turkish Export Products Fair in the Americas, where all sectors took part”
AKİB Coordinator President Onur Kılıçer stated that the event, which was the first Turkish Export Products Fair in the Americas where all sectors took part, was very productive and the participating companies established new trade bridges. He said that Türkiye achieved 358.1 million dollars of exports in the Venezuelan market in 2022, with an increase of 26.5 percent compared to the previous year, and that its export performance increased by 2.7 percent in the January-August period of 2023, reaching 226.3 million dollars. Noting that AKİB is most active in the Venezuelan market in the grains, pulses, oilseeds and products, chemicals and products, aquatic products and animal products sectors, Kılıçer said, “The products that AKİB-affiliated export companies sell most to Venezuela are pasta and canned meat.” and offal, sweet biscuits and wafers, mineral oils, soap and washing preparations. Our Union, which achieved exports of 26.5 million dollars in 2022, reached a foreign sales value of 25.6 million dollars in the January-August period of 2023. I believe that we will achieve much more successful results with the synergy created by the Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair.”
“We are happy to see that our close cooperation is built on solid foundations”
In his evaluation, AKMİB President Saadettin Çağan emphasized that the Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair provides the opportunity to strengthen existing commercial ties while laying the foundations of new business associations. President Çağan said, “We are very happy to see that our deep-rooted relations with the friendly and brotherly country Venezuela are built on solid foundations and our close cooperation today. “We are making great efforts to turn the great trade potential for our chemical industry into value in Venezuela, which is shown as the country with the richest oil reserves in the world.” he said.
“President Maduro opened the doors wide to Turkish exporters 5 years ago”
ASHİB Vice President Ali Can Yamanyılmaz stated that the strong ties developed with Venezuela, which is 10 thousand 563 kilometers away from Türkiye, are also reflected in trade data, and with the Trade Development Agreement signed by Venezuela with Türkiye, customs duties will be reduced in 91.7 percent of the tariff lines within 7 years at the latest. He reminded that he made a commitment to reset it. Yamanyılmaz, Venezuela’s agricultural and food products with high export potential, especially chicken, milk powder, pulses, nuts and dried fruits, flour, vegetable oils, olives, pasta, confectionery, flour, biscuits, chocolate, pasta, canned food and tomato paste. He stated that it contains important opportunities.
Yamanyılmaz said that there is a high export potential in the Venezuelan market in the sectors of construction materials, petrochemicals, medical drugs and materials, cosmetics and cleaning products, textiles, ready-made clothing, shoes, home and kitchen goods, agricultural machinery and automotive sub-industry, and that the attraction of the South American market can be transformed into value. He emphasized that the Venezuela Turkish Export Products Fair is an important move on his behalf.
Stating that Venezuelan President Nikolas Maduro accepted the Turkish delegation during the sectoral trade delegation trip they organized in 2019, Yamanyılmaz said, “Friend of Türkiye and fan of Turkish television series, Venezuelan President Mr. Nikolas Maduro said in his acceptance 5 years ago, “The doors here are open to you. He said, “We are ready for all kinds of cooperation” and instructed his ministers, “Whatever our country needs, you will first meet it from Türkiye.” Over the years, foreign trade between Türkiye and Venezuela has become stronger. We see Latin America as an alternative to the Middle East market. Demand for every product is high, and there is no shortage of ports and warehouses. “We think that we will be effective in the markets in this region as Venezuela is included in the customs union in the Americas.”
Maduro hosted the Turkish delegation on live broadcast and gave open support
On the other hand, Venezuelan President Nikolas Maduro hosted the delegation led by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Caracas Aydan Karamanoğlu and ASHİB Vice President Ali Can Yamanyılmaz in the program broadcast on state television. Maduro expressed his satisfaction with the Turkish Export Products Fair being held for the first time in his country and announced that Türkiye 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.