Bangladesh’s export to Turkey crossed $1 billion in 2013, said a Turkish government report on Wednesday although Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau’s data showed that the export earning was about $800 million during the period. A Turkish Statistical Institute report, circulated by the Bangladesh foreign ministry, showed that Bangladesh’s export to Turkey during 2013 calendar year was $1 billion growing by 31 per cent from the previous year.
It showed that the total bilateral trade volume between Bangladesh and Turkey during 2013 stood at $ 1.2 billion with Bangladesh’s import from the country standing at $196 million.
The data showed that Bangladesh had a trade surplus of $ 809 million during the period.
The available EPB data, however, showed that Bangladesh export to Turkey was $799.85 million in 2013.
EPB vice-chairman Shubhashish Bose told New Age that as far as Bangladesh’s concern the export figure was about $800 million in 2013.
The export figure of EPB was prepared based on freight-on-board prices of the products, he said.
‘May be, they [Turkey] have calculated their imported products after adding other costs like import duty and insurance,’ he said.
The TURKSTAT said Bangladesh exported non-knitted garment products worth $542 million in 2013, knitted garment of $238 million, jute yarn amounting $183.5 million and ceramics worth $ 11 million.
Major items of import from Turkey during the period were iron and steel, machinery and cotton textiles.
TURKSTAT data showed in 2012, Bangladesh exported products worth over $766 million to Turkey against the import of $214 million with a total bilateral trade volume of $980 million. Bangladesh enjoyed a trade surplus of $552 million in 2012, it said.
Exports from Bangladesh to Turkey suffered in 2011 and 2012 after Turkey imposed safeguard duties in 2011 on readymade garment imports from all countries, including Bangladesh.
The foreign ministry said concerted efforts by the Bangladesh Embassy in Ankara through encouraging Turkish importers to import more from Bangladesh had helped turn around the situation.
-With New Age input
