Celal Kadooğlu, President of the TİM Syria Desk and the Southeast Anatolia Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, and Products Exporters’ Association, advised companies entering Syria for the first time to benefit from the expertise of food suppliers.
As Syria undergoes reconstruction, Turkey plays a critical role as a regional actor with both economic and political influence. Celal Kadooğlu, President of the Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM) Syria Desk, stated that their goals include taking strategic steps to facilitate companies’ entry into Syria, monitoring bureaucratic obstacles at border crossings, and proposing measures to ensure the sustainability of trade.
Celal Kadooğlu
The Southeast Anatolia Region continues to lead in the export of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and related products. In the first three months of 2025, the sector accounted for 30.9% of the region’s exports, reaching a volume of $913.2 million. Opportunities in the Syrian market, in particular, are opening new doors for the region’s exporters. Celal Kadooğlu, President of both the TİM Syria Desk and the Southeast Anatolia Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, and Products Exporters’ Association, recommended that companies entering Syria for the first time draw on the experience of food suppliers.
RECORD SURGE IN EXPORTS TO SYRIA
Turkey’s total exports to Syria surged by 31.2% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching $507.9 million. The cereals sector accounted for 33.6% of this total, with the Southeast Anatolia Region contributing $94.3 million, or 55.2% of the sector’s exports. The region’s cereal exports to Syria saw a remarkable 40.9% increase. This growth is expected to gain further momentum following the lifting of Syria’s wheat import restrictions on March 25. Kadooğlu emphasized the potential of this market, stating, “With the removal of the wheat import ban, our exports to Syria will increase even further.”
The TİM Syria Desk provides strategic support for companies entering the Syrian market. Kadooğlu highlighted that firms operating in construction, infrastructure, and energy sectors should particularly benefit from the knowledge of food suppliers: “Currently, wheat flour and sunflower oil are the top exports to Syria. However, as purchasing power grows, demand for products like pasta, biscuits, wafers, and chocolate will rise.” Kadooğlu noted that the TİM Syria Desk collaborates with both public and private sectors to ensure Turkish companies can trade without facing bureaucratic hurdles.
THE REGION’S EXPORT PERFORMANCE
Southeast Anatolia accounts for 55.2% of Turkey’s sunflower oil exports ($149.2 million) and 67.3% of its pasta exports ($145.7 million). While sunflower oil prices rose by 26.3% to $1.48, pasta prices fell by 2.7% to $0.58. The region exported the most to Iraq, with $285.7 million, while exports to Africa surged by 47.6%, with high-volume sales to countries such as Djibouti, Ghana, and Sudan.
The Southeast Anatolia Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, and Products Exporters’ Association evaluated these developments during its April Board Meeting, focusing on opportunities in the Syrian market. The region is poised to play a pivotal role in Syria’s reconstruction by leveraging its economic and political strengths.