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Lebanese invade Turkey for shopping
18-4-2018
In its issue of today, Al Akhbar newspaper drew attention to the phenomenon of the Lebanese invasion of Turkish markets for shopping rather than encouraging Lebanese production. The reason, Al Akhbar wrote, is the relative low prices Turkish goods boast compared to Lebanon and that is for a number of factors: The considerable government support to the extensive domestic production; the self-sufficient economy and synchronized economic cycle which does not rely on import; the protectionist system that seeks to prevent the entry of products that are produced locally; the state-of-the-art production machinery; the hydroelectric industrial cities and finally, the relatively-cheap and specialized labor power. On the subject, Naji Mozannar, the secretary general of the Syndicate of Lebanese Textiles Manufacturers, said one of the reasons behind the drop of prices of Turkish merchandise is the Customs Union agreement between the EU and Turkey which secures obstacle-free import-export transactions. Whereas, the agreements concluded between some states and Lebanon did not benefit the latter at the production level, but rather functioned in favor of the other side of the agreement, Mozannar lamented. The main setback in Lebanon, he expounded, is the labor force. Only four to five out of 360 textile plants registered with the Syndicate since the seventies are still operational in the country. In conclusion, Al Akhbar emphasized the need to sustain the remaining clothes manufacturers and suppliers and to focus on the support of the fashion couture and haute couture industries that tune in with the Lebanese situation, pointing to some 400 ateliers and workshops run by highly-talented and competent designers, whose numbers are increasing by year as compared to the traditional fabrics and textile factories. (Al Akhbar, April 18, 2018)
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- العربية
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