Carpet exports from Turkey during the first eleven months of 2013 reached US$ 1.9 billion, indicating an increase of 9.4 percent, compared to the same period in 2012, as per the data released by the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters' Association (ITKIB) and Turkey Exporters Assembly (TIM).

 

According to the November 2013 Export Data Report of TIM, in 2012, during the same period the country exported carpets worth US$ 1.82 billion.

 

The carpet exports from Turkey during the January to November 2013 period accounted for 1.4 percent of the overall exports from the country.

 

According to the TIM data, the highest exports were made from the machine-made carpets category, with exports amounting to US$ 1.87 billion during the first eleven months of 2013, followed by hand-made carpets with exports worth US$ 119.9 million during the period.

 

Saudi Arabia remained the main destination for carpet exports from Turkey, accounting for 15 percent of the country’s overall carpet exports, during the first eleven months of 2013. Turkey exported carpets amounting to US$ 299.78 million to Saudi Arabia in the January to November period.

 

The US ranked second with Turkey exporting carpets worth US$ 199.15 million to the country, followed by Libya with US$ 186.52 million, Iraq with US$ 173.12 million, and Germany with US$ 96.68 million, during the January to November 2013.

 

As per the TIM data, in the month of November 2013, Turkey exported carpets worth US$ 230.4 million, indicating a surge of 16.6 percent, compared to the same month in 2012.

 

Turkey has both skilled labour force for handmade carpet industry and sufficient know-how for machine-made carpet industry. Moreover, it does not have to depend on imports for wool and synthetic yarn for its carpet industry, as they are met from domestic sources.

 

The geographical proximity of Turkey to the main carpet consuming markets like the Middle East, Europe and the CIS states also helps the growth of the Turkish carpet industry.