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Interview<br />
fairs offer very important opportunities<br />
in terms of introducing the<br />
products of our exporters, their<br />
brands and making new cooperation.<br />
We anticipate that participation<br />
in the “China International<br />
Import Expo <strong>2018</strong>” fair, which will<br />
take place in Shanghai, China<br />
between 5-10 November <strong>2018</strong>,<br />
will also be on high level in this<br />
respect.<br />
Our studies have been continuing<br />
to promote the fair, which so<br />
far 41 firms have applied to, to<br />
Turkish exporters and to increase<br />
participation. The fair in question<br />
is extremely important not only<br />
for our exporting firms, but also<br />
for the promotion of Turkey. The<br />
Chinese festival will be organized<br />
for the first time and we regard it<br />
as an important opportunity for our<br />
country. The investment possibilities<br />
and trade opportunities in<br />
Turkey will be introduced to the<br />
visitors on the booth with 136 m 2 ,<br />
whereas Turkish culture will be<br />
promoted.<br />
Could you tell us at which level<br />
Turkey Exporters Assembly<br />
figures are, compared to the<br />
figures made according to<br />
provinces?<br />
According to Turkey Exporters<br />
Assembly (TIM) data, exports rose<br />
11.8 percent in July and reached<br />
14.11 billion dollars. In the dispersion<br />
of the said exports, Istanbul<br />
takes the first place with 6 billion<br />
dollars. The top ten cities are<br />
Istanbul, Bursa, Kocaeli, Izmir, Ankara,<br />
Gaziantep, Sakarya, Manisa,<br />
Denizli and Hatay.<br />
Where are we in the world on<br />
exports R&D studies?<br />
Today, the way of being able to exist<br />
in domestic and foreign trade,<br />
where competition is intense, is<br />
done by R & D. While R & D investments<br />
and studies, which are<br />
the biggest factor in the growth<br />
of the country’s economies, have<br />
come to the forefront in developed<br />
countries, in developing countries,<br />
although not at the desired level<br />
of industry, R & D investments in<br />
Turkey continues to grow each<br />
year.<br />
Researches show that R&D investments<br />
develop innovative and<br />
high-tech products and increase<br />
exports. R&D expenditures of<br />
developed countries are on average<br />
2.5 to 3 per cent of the Gross<br />
Domestic Product (GDP), while the<br />
proportion of developing countries<br />
is less than 1 per cent.<br />
According to the latest explained<br />
data of Turkey Statistical Institute<br />
(TSI), Turkey’s gross domestic R<br />
& D expenditure has risen to 24<br />
billion 641 million TL in 2016 with<br />
an increment of 19.5 percent by<br />
increasing 4 billion 26 million TL,<br />
compared to the previous year.<br />
The ratio of gross domestic R & D<br />
expenditure to GDP is 0.88 percent<br />
in 2015, and rose to 0.94 percent<br />
in 2016.<br />
As we can see from the figures,<br />
Turkey’s R&D allocation ratio<br />
remains under the world average.<br />
It is of utmost importance that<br />
government promotion should be<br />
given by our government through<br />
tax reductions and low-interest investment<br />
loans to R&D activities. It<br />
is necessary that our firms invest<br />
more in R&D researches by making<br />
use of these supports, and their<br />
work needs to be made widespread<br />
in our country.<br />
Could you mention about<br />
protectionism problems that<br />
our exporters face in the world<br />
market?<br />
The concept of protectionism,<br />
which was emerged from the politics<br />
of localization and balancing<br />
economics of the countries, has<br />
changed dimension in recent years<br />
due to political relations of the<br />
countries. Especially after the recent<br />
US-China crisis, we are facing<br />
the risk that this understanding of<br />
protectionism spread in waves by<br />
being accepted also by other countries.<br />
Exporters may encounter<br />
some embargoes against Turkish<br />
products.<br />
Protectionist policies of neighboring<br />
countries such as Iraq, Iran,<br />
Algeria, Egypt (import prohibitions,<br />
additional customs tax, etc.) affect<br />
our exports negatively.<br />
What would you like to say<br />
about being handled innovation<br />
and design by exporters, and<br />
investment in brand and R & D?<br />
The role of exports in Turkey’s<br />
growth and increase in the level of<br />
welfare is huge. Innovation, design<br />
and branding factors come to the<br />
forefront in terms of competing<br />
with the countries and increasing<br />
exports by entering into new<br />
markets. Companies that produce<br />
innovative and high-tech products<br />
are taking part at the forefront of<br />
the world market. It is possible<br />
for the market to be able to create<br />
new designs and produce productions<br />
with high value added only<br />
with research and developments<br />
activities. When we look at the<br />
countries with the greatest economies<br />
of the world, we see that<br />
these countries have reached their<br />
current positions as the result of R<br />
& D activities.<br />
Achieving sustainable exports and<br />
boosting the unit kilogram value of<br />
exports are significantly dependent<br />
on R & D and innovation power. In<br />
this regard, as IKMIB, we support<br />
our exporters with both design<br />
competitions that we organize and<br />
activities such as R & D Project<br />
Market. Giving importance and<br />
48<br />
Eylül <strong>2018</strong>