Turkey's cement exports plunge

Dispatches down 35% due to slower sales in Middle East, North Africa.

{reg}Turkish cement exports have dropped by 35% due to the strife in Middle Eastern and North African countries.

The Hurriyet Daily News reported that Turkey's southern province of Antalya is experiencing a significant decline in cement exports this year due to the turmoil in Middle East and North Africa.

"Cement exports fell by 35 percent in the first half of this year compared with last year," said Zeki G├╝rses, general manager of the head of the Antalya Free Trade Zone or ASBA┼×.

Antalya's total cement and barite exports in the first half of last year reached 515,000 tons.

Exports declined to 335,000 tons in the first half of this year, he said.

The total trade volume of the Antalya Free Trade Zone reached $75.3 million by the end of the first half of 2011 compared to last year's $71.6 million, according to official figures.

"Despite the 5 percent increase in total trade volume in this year's first half compared with last year, our city's cement and barite export was hit by the Middle Eastern and North African turmoil especially in January and February," said G├╝rses.