We talk at the fairs…
Everybody complains about the decrease in the prices.
We talk at the press conferences…
President of İMİB (Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association) Aydın Dinçer complains about the same thing. He strives with all his strength to brighten the brand, ‘“Turkish Stones’’ in order to solve the problem..
President of TÜMMER (Turkish Marble, Natural Stone and Machinery Manufacturers Association) Raif Türk speaks… He emphasizes the same problem with the US market as his main concern. “We should cut down on production, if it’s necessary’’, he says.
President of EMİB ( Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association) Mevlüt Kaya speaks… First he underlines the prices, then warns us, “Iran danger may finish this sector if we don’t do what Italy did to us years ago and focus on design.’’
Board Member of EMİB Remzi Boncuk speaks. Perhaps his is the strongest warning. “Consuming natural resources means consuming the future. We are one of the cheapest sellers of natural stone in the world.
That cannot continue.’’, he says.
I gladly put my signature under all these statements.
Yes, all of them are right.
What is happening as we talk then?
The divergence between us and Italians was 2.7 times in revenue per ton last year, this year it is climbing up to 4!
While Turkey earns $509 dollars per ton of processed marble, China earns $1342 from the same amount.
Greece, India, Portugal and Germany, they all outdo us.
Is it the dried-nut producers who undercut these prices while everybody talks and complains about the same problem?
Yes, we must talk and discuss the matters.
But we must be aware that it’s time to act now!
