Hüseyin Taklacı: 7.3 billion dollars in wood and forest products exported this year

Hüseyin Taklacı, President of the Turkish Woodworking Federation (TAİF), made assessments regarding the point reached by the furniture and woodworking sector in the 100th year of the Republic and its future goals.

Reminding that the first furniture in history was found in Çatalhöyük as stone seating groups, Taklacı said that the journey that began in Anatolia, the cradle of civilization, in the pre-Christian era has become a major industry in the last 100 years.

Explaining that during the early years of the Republic, items such as chests, reading desks, divans, and sofas were produced intensively in provinces like Istanbul, Kahramanmaraş, and Eskişehir, Taklacı stated that later, items such as chairs, dining tables, and display cabinets coming from the West began to take their place in homes.

Pointing out that the increase in demand created a need for domestic production, Taklacı said, "With the establishment of the Siteler Industrial Site in the capital in the 1960s, mechanization developed, and the design and production of new models began. The journey of the Turkish furniture industry, which extends to the present day, is now in a position to compete with the world's furniture giants."

Taklacı drew attention to the fact that in the last 15-20 years, the number of medium and large-scale enterprises in the furniture sector has increased alongside small-scale businesses, reporting that there are over 38,000 firms in the sector providing employment to approximately 380,000 people.

"Turkey is crossing borders in furniture exports"

Taklacı stated that the export of wood and forest products, which was 379 million dollars in 2000 and limited to a few countries, rose to 2.9 billion dollars in 2010, adding, "Our wood and forest products exports, which reached 7.3 billion dollars in 2023, have shown great growth within 23 years, even though they have experienced downward movements from time to time."

Taklacı reported that this year, the most exports were made to Iraq, Germany, France, Romania, Israel, Libya, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

Explaining that the furniture sector also turned the COVID-19 pandemic into an advantage, Taklacı noted that countries such as the USA, Australia, Poland, and Portugal were also added to the export list.

Stating that the global furniture sector is expected to grow by an annual average of 8.2 percent until 2026 and reach an economic size of 940 billion dollars, Taklacı emphasized that in Turkey, an annual average growth of 10 percent is targeted until 2030, with the economic size reaching the 29 billion dollar level.

"Handcraftsmanship stands out in furniture exports"

Taklacı said that the current 88 percent domestic production rate in the furniture and wood products sector could reach 99 percent if production of lighting, electronics, metal-to-plastic hardware, and chemicals is accelerated.

Explaining that the average export value per kilogram in furniture in Turkey is 2.74 dollars, Taklacı pointed out that in provinces where handcraftsmanship is intensive, such as Ankara and Adana, or in project decoration works, the amount per kilogram rises up to 10 dollars. Emphasizing that it is possible to increase these amounts further by producing value-added products, Taklacı also stated that the country's logistical location is a great advantage for firms in terms of export success.

Expressing his great confidence in Turkish furniture manufacturers, who are among the top 10 in the world in exports, Taklacı added that if the necessary facilities and support are provided, the sector could enter the top 3 in the world in the next 10 years, first in handcrafted furniture production and subsequently in all types of furniture production.

News Source: 12punto