How were production, exports, and labor affected in the earthquake zone?

The devastating effects of the earthquake that struck Kahramanmaraş on February 6 on the region’s merchants, factories and industrial production began to become apparent.

In the Southeast Anatolia Region, where an average monthly export of $1 billion is made, exports in February decreased to approximately $500 million.

Attempts are made to continue production in the surviving factories with sets of machinery that were broken by the earthquake, whose balance was upset or whose brains were burned.

One of the major problems hindering production is the dwindling workforce.

Despite the fact that almost a month and a half has passed since the earthquake, the fact that the people of the region continue to have housing problems causes the rest of the people to migrate and the loss of labor in the factories goes up to the 70 percent.

We discussed the damage caused by the earthquake to the regional economy with the president of the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, Adnan Ünverdi, the president of the Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hikmet Çinçin, the president of the Coordinator of Trade Unions of Exporters from Southeast Anatolia, Ahmet Fikret Kileci, and representatives of TESK affiliated chambers of commerce. in the region.

LOSS OF 422 MILLION TL IN 1182 FACTORIES IN GAZİANTEP

The president of the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, Adnan Ünverdi, speaking to Sozcu.com.tr, said that there are more than 5,100 manufacturing companies in the city, who could contact 1,182 of these companies, and that the damage caused by the earthquake in these factories amounted to 422 million. TL.

Unverdi said: “The machines or parts were broken due to the shaking in the damaged factories, the calibration and balance of the machine was disturbed, the brain of the team was burned,” Unverdi said. We continue production under these conditions.”

Unverdi said they were unable to keep qualified personnel in the city and skilled labor migrated, “Currently there is a labor loss of more than 40 percent in our factories. Because the problem of temporary accommodation is at its peak. In addition, people go for the education of their children. We need to ensure the return of our migrant people. For that we need the support of the State, ”he said.

JOB LOSSES IN HATAY RISES TO 70 PERCENT

Speaking to Sozcu.com.tr, the president of the Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hikmet Çinçin, said that 95 percent of the factories are still standing because the two OIZs in the district are on the slopes of the mountains, but that the sub-industry built on the plain has a great destruction of 60-70 percent. He informed her that he had come.

Çinçin said: “Although the factory survives, its employees, bosses and signatories may have passed away. Most of the inhabitants have emigrated. Hatay became an immigration province for the first time. “I guess two thirds of the population has migrated,” he said.

Stating that the factories can only run with 30 percent staff and 30 to 40 percent capacity, Çinçin said that it is necessary to respond to the demand for tents and individual containers for these factories to function properly, but this has not been possible up to now. now.

Chinchin continued:

“Both the houses and workplaces of the people here collapsed, and both the machine in the factory and the passenger car were rendered unusable. It is not possible to cover these losses with insurance. There is damage in Hatay, perhaps as much as the total damage in the other 10 provinces. Only 35-40 percent of OIZs could become operational. Notable support did not reach the region.

In order for our people who migrated from here to return, housing spaces must be established where they can take shelter. Container cities are being built, but not enough.

We demand that the provinces, districts and companies be categorized according to their impact rates after the earthquake, and that super incentives and supports be planned according to these classes, and that commercial credits be postponed for a minimum of 1 year” .

1,300 SHOPPERS LOSE THEIR JOBS AT DIYARBAKIR

According to the information we received from the Turkish Confederation of Traders and Craftsmen (TESK), there are a total of 322,457 traders and a total of 339,081 workplaces in 11 earthquake-affected provinces.

Stating that there is still no clear data on how many workplaces have been demolished across all provinces, and that there is still no healthy data flow from the region, TESK officials stated that only the Diyarbakır Chamber of Craftsmen contacted them and informed them that approximately 1,300 workplaces were destroyed in the city.

An official who said that the merchants whose shops were still standing were not happy about this situation: “For example, in Gaziantep, we had 13 buildings collapsed in the first place, but there are many buildings that are badly damaged and need to be demolished Below from this, there are businesses of small merchants such as barbers and hairdressers. Would you go to the job site under the collapsed building on one side? That’s why the merchants can’t be happy even if the workplace is not destroyed,” he said.

LOSS OF RAW MATERIALS OF 500 MILLION DOLLARS

Speaking to Sozcu.com.tr, the head of the South-East Anatolian exporters’ union coordinator, Ahmet Fikret Kileci, said that after the fire in the port of Iskenderun in the first days of the earthquake, industrialists were still unable to obtain the raw materials in the port. and this situation interrupted the continuation of production and an estimated loss of 500 million dollars was recorded.

Stating that they demanded that this issue be resolved as soon as possible, Kileci said, “The port authorities and the subcontractor say that it is a big natural disaster, but one way or another, the product in the port area is the responsibility of the state. . Your subcontractor is the port operator. We want the problem of the raw materials waiting in the port to be resolved as soon as possible, ”he said.

‘CLIENTS ARE NOT GIVEN CREDIT, A GUARANTEE IS REQUESTED’

One of the biggest problems that merchants experience is that their debts are only postponed even if they cannot pay their current debts.

Both TESK officials and merchant representatives we contacted in the region said: “We don’t want debts to be postponed, we want them to be erased. What will happen if it is postponed, will we be able to pay when the due date arrives? she says.

He pointed out that another problem experienced is that merchants who want to use credit are facing difficulties both through Credit Cooperatives and Merchants and Artisans Bonds as well as public and private banks.

‘COME TO ADIYAMAN, FIND A WARRANTY, FIND THE GOODS OF THE WARRANTY’

A TESK official summed up this situation as follows:

“For the loans that are given, guarantees and mortgages are requested from the merchants. What should the grocer show, his destroyed house or his car that was left under the rubble? A guinea pig is also required. Come and find a guarantor in Adıyaman, find the property of the guarantor. How will these people use the credit? Such conditions must be abolished and these problems must be resolved without wasting time.”