Press Release August 31, 2026
PLASFED President Ömer Karadeniz:
“RECOVERY IN INDUSTRY IS PROMISING
BUT WE MUST FOCUS ON THE QUALITY OF GROWTH”
Evaluating the 2.3% growth of the Turkish economy in the second quarter of 2026, PLASFED Chairman of the Board Ömer Karadeniz stated that the industry growing by 2.4% in the second quarter—after contracting by 0.8% in the first quarter—is a positive development. Karadeniz pointed out that for a permanent and strong growth in industry, financing conditions must be improved, production costs must be reduced, and exports must be supported.
According to the data announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the Turkish economy grew by 2.3% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year. Seasonally and calendar-adjusted GDP increased by 1.1% compared to the previous quarter. Among economic activities, the industry registered a 2.4% growth, and it drew attention that the industry, which had contracted by 0.8% in the first quarter, returned to growth.
Evaluating the growth data, Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Industrialists Federation (PLASFED), said that the industry regaining growth momentum is important for the production power of the Turkish economy.
Karadeniz said, “Following the 0.8% contraction experienced by the industrial sector in the first quarter of the year, its 2.4% growth in the second quarter is promising in terms of showing that a new momentum has started on the production front. However, for Turkey to enter a sustainable and high-quality growth path, this recovery in industry needs to become permanent.”
“Industrial growth alone is not enough”
Pointing out that sustainable growth of the Turkish economy is only possible by strengthening production and industry, Karadeniz emphasized that the quality of growth is at least as important as the growth rate.
Karadeniz stated, “The 2.4% growth of industry is an important and valuable development. However, the high financing costs, energy and raw material expenses, labor costs, and global competitive pressure that our industrialists face today continue. Under these conditions, in order to make the achieved growth permanent, policies that will pull down production costs and support investments need to be strengthened.”
“Plastics sector is the cornerstone of industrial production”
Reminding that the plastics sector provides inputs to a very wide production chain ranging from automotive to packaging, construction to health, Karadeniz stated that the sector holds strategic importance for Turkey's industrial and export capacity. He pointed out that plastics are now used in almost all sectors and represent an important production area in terms of technology and innovation.
Karadeniz said, “The plastics industry is one of the foundational sectors of Turkey's production ecosystem. Therefore, we want the recovery in industry to be strongly reflected in the plastics sector as well. To achieve this, problems experienced in raw materials—where our sector has a high foreign dependency—in financing, and in energy costs must be resolved. By preserving our production capacity, we must transition to a more high-value-added and competitive structure.”
For more information and contact:
Nilgün Özdemir / nilgun.ozdemir@plasfed.org.tr / 0532 724 95 90
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.