Turkish exporters and Northern Cyprus economic strategy face calls for reform

Tuncay Yıldırım, Chairman of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO), has called for a review of the new foreign exchange conversion support regulations implemented by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye as of October 1, 2026. Yıldırım emphasized that the application criteria must align with the specific realities of different sectors, noting that production structures, profit margins, and foreign exchange needs vary significantly among exporters.

In a separate economic discussion, economist Şahap Aşıkoğlu proposed a strategic five-year production and export program for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Aşıkoğlu suggested that instead of merely requesting financial resources in economic protocols with Turkey, the new government should focus on securing purchase guarantees, public procurement quotas, and production investment supports. He recommended targeting Turkey’s massive import market by identifying specific products—such as light industry, processed foods, and citrus concentrates—to increase TRNC exports from $116 million to a target of $250 million.