Kahramanmaraş, one of the cities with the highest textile production in Türkiye, continues to recover from the earthquakes of February 6, 2023, of which it was the epicentre. The city achieved a successful export performance in 2022, meanwhile experiencing a serious decline due to damage to facilities and employment problems after the earthquake, and immediately afterwards, the necessary work was initiated to get the industry back on its feet in the region. When we look at the first nine months of 2024, we see that Kahramanmaraş has increased its export figures by 12 percent compared to the previous year.
According to information compiled by AA from Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KMTSO) data, home to approximately 100 textile export companies, the city increased its textile exports, which were 446 million 858 thousand dollars in the first 9 months of last year, by 12.2 percent this year to 501 million 516 thousand dollars. The city’s exports in the first 9 months of 2022 were 681 million 356 thousand, and its annual exports were 868 million 855 thousand dollars.
KMTSO Deputy Chairman Hikmet Gümüşer underlined in his statement that Kahramanmaraş is a big city hosting more than 2 thousand companies and pointed out the importance of the textile and raw materials industry in the city. Reminding that they broke the export record in the textile and raw materials sector in 2022, Gümüşer said that exports decreased due to the earthquakes on February 6, 2023.
Stating that the industry has slowly started to recover despite all the negativities experienced, he said; “We have recovered somewhat as of the first 9 months of 2024. Compared to 2023, we increased our exports in textiles and raw materials by 12 percent in 2024 and recorded exports of 501 million dollars. This is a great success for our city, which is still healing the wounds of the earthquake. We mainly exported to Italy. Apart from that, our exports to the Czech Republic have increased considerably. At the same time, our exports to Pakistan have increased considerably.”
The employment problem continues in Kahramanmaraş, yarn facilities are operating at 40 percent capacity
Hikmet Gümüşer noted that both unit prices and profitability rates have decreased compared to last year, and that one of the important reasons for the decrease in profitability is labour costs, and noted the following:
“Due to the recessions in Europe and America and the high interest rate policies implemented in Türkiye, several businesses had to think about their capacities. Unfortunately, at the point we have reached now, yarn facilities in Kahramanmaraş are operating at a capacity utilization rate of 40 percent. At the same time, we are faced with serious decreases in productivity, one of the most important reasons for this is the very high employment problem. Factories employ blue-collar personnel, this employment lasts for a very short time, they only work for a month or two and then quit, and this causes a great loss of productivity.”
“This is not only our success, but also the success of our colleagues who work with us”
Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Commerce President Mustafa Narlı also said that 10 companies in the city including his own company were awarded with gold about 3 weeks ago regarding exports. Expressing that this situation is a source of pride for the city; “This is not only our success, but also the success of our colleagues working with us. Just 15 days after the earthquake, those colleagues of ours took great action together with us and quickly revived our factories. This is not only the success of the industrialists but also the result of the good work we did together with them. Therefore, we will not stop, we will work, we will succeed, and we will do it again,” he said.