Furniture exports, which broke the record of all time with 4.3 billion dollars reached last year, started the new year with an increase of 14%.

Turkey's furniture exports increased by 14 percent in January compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 325.5 million dollars, and it was recorded as the highest January export of all time.

According to the information compiled by AA correspondent from the data of Istanbul Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association, furniture exports, which reached an all-time high of $4.3 billion last year, started the new year with a record.

Furniture exports in January increased by 14 percent compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 325.5 million dollars.

The sector, which exported the most to the USA, Germany, England, Iraq and Libya last month, had the highest increase in this field in Qatar with 90 percent.

In this period, mostly children's beds and cradles, furniture for sitting, wooden furniture for dining and living rooms, metal furniture, furniture for sitting that can be turned into beds were exported.

The exports of the furniture, paper and forestry products sector, which closed last year with exports approaching 7 billion dollars, increased by 23 percent in January and rose to 558.1 million dollars.

“January figures show that we will break new records”

Ahmet Güleç, Chairman of the Istanbul Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association, said that they started the new year with a very good momentum and held the furniture fair, which is the biggest in Europe in its field, in January.

Stating that as Turkish furniture manufacturers, they hosted purchasing delegations from 80 countries and more than 120 thousand visitors from 138 countries, Güleç said that furniture manufacturers signed hundreds of collaborations.


Noting that they laid the foundations for a business connection of 3 billion dollars as an industry, Güleç said, “The motivation we get from this fair, our business connections, the ongoing investments of our furniture manufacturers and the export figures we realized in January show us that we will break new records at the end of the year.” said.


“We aim to be among the top 5 furniture exporters by the end of 2022”

Ahmet Güleç said that Turkey is the 8th largest furniture exporter in the world in 2020, the figures for 2021 have not yet been released, but Turkey has increased its exports more than its competitors and they expect to go up in this field.

Güleç said, “Last month, we reached the highest January export figure of all time. Last year, we had very good numbers. When the 2021 figures come out, we predict that we will step up from 8th place. We aim to be among the top 5 furniture exporting countries in the world by the end of 2022.” he said.


Turkic Republics and Saudi Arabia have also been added to target markets

Furniture Industry Businessmen's Association (MOBSAD) President Nuri Gürcan stated that the export figures started the new year well and that it was pleasing, and that they continued their work to ensure that the increase was sustainable.

Gürcan said, “We will deepen our work for the US market and continue to work to export high value-added products per kilogram to the European market. This year, we will also focus on the Turkic Republics and the Saudi Arabian market. You know, there is a rapprochement between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and this country was among our important furniture importers. We think we will see an uptrend here again.” he said.


Modoko has set 2022 as the "year of export"

Koray Çalışkan, President of the furniture manufacturers cooperative Modoko, said that they have determined 2022 as the year of export and that they have started an intensive work in this field.

Caliskan said, “We have created a special unit for exports. Modoko realizes approximately 30 percent of furniture exports in Istanbul. We aim to increase this share to 40 percent in 2022. Last month, we came together with many buyers such as Israel, Qatar, Russia, Romania, Pakistan, India, and the United States at the Istanbul Furniture Fair. January export figures show that we are taking firm steps forward in line with our targets.” made the statement.