Demand for Turkish goods increase in north Iraq

The chairman of an export and import association in Iraqi Kurdish regional administration said there has been an increase in demand for Turkish products, known by their quality, rather than cheap and unqualified Chinese ones. Mustafa Abdullah told an AA correspondent that products of high quality imported from Turkey, and added: "Demand for Turkish products is high. Those products are the number one with regard to quality. We hope Turkish firms will keep that quality level and further improve." Abdullah said they choose to work with Turkish companies due to their quality and service, and noted Kurdish region helps economic growth in Turkey as well. Abdullah also said economic incentives provided by Ankara to Turkish companies also contributes to the growth of economic relations between Kurdish region and Turkey. Turkey has the lion share in imports to Kurdish region he said. "There are 2,500 companies that operate across the region. 950 of them are Turkish firms. The total imports for the year of 2012 was around 22 billion USD, and 13 billion USD of it was from Turkey." Mustafa Abdullah appealed Turkish firms to make investments in Kurdish region. A shop owner in Sulaymaniyah told an AA correspondent that Turkish products are known by their quality. "Our customers know that Turkish products are of high quality. I also sell Chinese products. They choose according to their income level," Samal Heme said. Another shop owner stated he only sells Turkish products.