Sectors

Hatay's agricultural areas, soil structure, climate and other natural conditions allow product variety, early harvest and growing second crops. It is possible to cultivate four seasons of the year in Hatay. Especially fruits, vegetables and olive grove areas are well above average in Turkey.

Cultivated areas constitute 273.115 hectares (51%) of total 540.300 hectares of our province's area. 146.441 Hectares (54%) of cultivated areas are economically irrigable and approximately 20% (28.341 hectares) of this area is irrigated. When Reyhanlı, Orta Ceyhan Menzelet, Buyuk Karacay and Dostluk Dams, which are currently under construction, are finished, 105.950 hectares of area will be open for operation and irrigable area will reach 134.265 hectares (91,6%)

DID YOU KNOW THAT As per production Hatay Ranks 1st in 4 agricultural products and among top 5 in 26 agricultural products in Turkey?

Source: TUIK, 2013 

HaHatay ranked 1st in fresh fruits and vegetables export, by exporting 478 million $'s worth production, which was 20% of Turkey's 2.35 million $ export (TIM, 2012). The fact that packaging sector is developed in the province had a large role in Hatay's success in the said sector. The success of the province in the sector is largely related to the packaging sector which is also highly developed.

Ecological conditions of Hatay offer opportunities for early fruit growing. There are suitable areas for organic agriculture. Heating costs are low for greenhouse cultivation. There are corporate businesses in which medicinal and aromatic plants are processed, and there are rich endemic plant species in the province. There are educational institutions, which allow agricultural clustering and livestock at bachelor's and associate's degree level in the province and the counties.

Animal Production
From 2012 to 2013 the number of cattle has risen from 140,001 to 142,473.
Hatay Province stands out especially with the existence of poultry and production related to poultry; 58 per cent of chicken population, all of white meat production and 47 per cent of egg production in the region are in Hatay. Apiculture activities and honey production in TR63 region have a significant part nationwide in Turkey; Hatay has 44 per cent of bee hives and 48 per cent of honey production in the region.

Hatay provides the %52 of agricultural production in TR63 Region and %2.1 of Turkey with 2.75 billion TL total production.

Hatay Province Agricultural Production Value (1000 TL )

Source: TUIK 

"Agricultural and Rural Development Strategic Plan" was prepared by the economic support of our agency in order to exploit the maximum level of agricultural potential of our province in 2011.

Province of Hatay Agricultural and Rural Development Strategic Plan
Especially for branding and export-focused planning of the province's agriculture, "Province of Hatay Agricultural and Rural Development Strategic Plan" was prepared with the participation of all shareholders, taking into account national and international agricultural policies. Thanks to the plan, agricultural product potential will be evaluated better and agricultural and agro-industrial investments in the region will be shaped to provide the highest added value.

The following are targeted within the scope of the plan:

• Development of qualified human resources in the agricultural sector,
• Increasing the amount of exportable products in the olive, olive oil, citrus fruits and cotton sectors and branding,
• Province to become an important production center in the region, in respect of horticulture, field crops and medicinal and aromatic plants,
• Development of stockbreeding and aquaculture in the province,
• Development of organic and Globalgap® certified agriculture throughout the province,
• Increasing the amount of irrigated areas and protecting environment and bio-diversity for sustainable agriculture,
• Development of agricultural industry, strengthening of agricultural marketing and activating farmers' organizations,
• Improving infrastructure in rural areas and increasing the quality of life.

Province of Hatay Agricultural and Rural Development Strategic Plan envisages important measures for the development of agriculture and stockbreeding. When the objectives and activities of the plan are accomplished, Province of Hatay is expected to become the Agricultural Trade Base of the Middle East.
 

The first investment of iron and steel sector in our province, ISDEMIR facilities, was realized in 1967 within the framework of Technical and Economic Cooperation Agreement with the Soviet Union.

The foundation of the facility with 1.1 million tons/year liquid steel capacity was laid on October 3, 1970 and 1975 set into operation gradually. With the establishment of ISDEMIR in the 1970s, economy of the region gained speed and new investment and employment areas began to emerge in the region. The pioneer of Iskenderun iron-steel alignment, ISDEMIR has realized 40 new projects and has begun to produce integrated flat steel in the last few years.

In 2012, 7, 1 million tons of ingot and 4, 6 million tons of slab steel were produced in the region, a total of 11, 7 million tons of steel.

Produced and imported from abroad, ingots are processed in rolling mills and transformed into sheet iron, moulding bars, angle irons, construction iron, nails and wires in our province. In addition, almost every kind of pipe with different areas of use is produced in facilities in our province

Hatay Province provides 63% of the filter production in our country by itself.

In line with the developments in automotive and subsidiary industry sectors in our country, the first Turkish filter manufacturing plant started production in our Iskenderun county in 1966.

After this first investment in our province, 14 production facilities in different sizes have been put into service in the same sector and filter production have become a driving force in the industry of our province. Air, oil and fuel filters; for heavy equipment and industrial purposes, air, fuel, oil and hydraulic filters; and air/oil separators are produced for all kinds of tractors and automobiles in our country in these plants.

1,843 employees are employed at the existing filter plants. Total theoretical capacities of the plants are 47,100,000; actual production in 2009 was 22,418,674; and the sector’s exports in 2009 was 20,224,035 $.

During this period our province has covered great distance in filter sector. Constant technological renewal investments in the filter sector shows that our province has gained advantage over its competitors abroad.

Due to the increase in investments and productions of flat products in iron and steel industry in the recent years, sheet metals, which the filter sector use as the main raw materials of the sector, will be provided from our country and the sector; in addition to avoiding great transportation costs, will provide a competitive advantage in the filter sector.

Agriculture sector has a significant share in the economy of our province. 276.240 hectares of the total area of 540.300 hectares of the province are cultivated areas and 18% of this is olive grove fields. Our province realized 9.5% of Turkey’s olive production with production of 158,419 tons of olives in 2013. (TUIK, 2013)

55 Olive Pressing Facilities with Industrial Registry Certificates, given by Hatay Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology operate and 40,862 tons of olive oil is extracted in these facilities. 

According to 2013 data of Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), total value of olive and olive oil exports of our province is 37.5 million $.

With the increase in table olive cultivation areas in recent years, it can be observed that production of olives for pickling has begun in small numbers.

Due to the supports for olive tree planting and the incentives given for olive oil, olive cultivation areas have increased considerably in the last few years. It is estimated that the production of olive and olive oil will increase by 50% in the next 10 years. 

Thanks to the grants, provided within the framework of the project of supporting rural development by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in the last few years, fully-automatic system olive pressing facilities in accordance with the new technology have been established. Olive oil produced in our province has sought-after characteristics in terms of flavour and aroma both in domestic and foreign markets. Development of this sector also leads to the development of soap industry.

Foreign trade volume of Hatay amounted to approximately 6. 5 billion $ in 20132. Exports make up about 4 .4 billion $ and imports make up 2.1 billion $ of this amount. Hatay ranks 7thin exports and 119th in imports among provinces, with this foreign trade performance.

Foreign Trade Volume of Hatay on Annual Basis ($ 1000)

Kaynak: Ministry of Economy, 2013

Foreign Trade of Hatay increases every year. Hatay achieved an approximately 7-fold increase in its foreign trade volume after 2003. Although the growth trend rate of foreign trade volume was interrupted in 2009, due to the global economic crisis and was back on track in 2010 between for the period of 2003 and 2012 the trend has been upwards. According to the data of Ministry of Economy, Hatay reached a record high in terms of imports and exports, and its foreign trade volume increased by 37. 5% in 2011, compared to the previous year. While imports remained unchanged from the previous year, there was a small in decline in imports in 2012, in which the effects of the crisis in Syria were substantially observed.

Hatay ranks 18th among 81 provinces in the index of "product diversity" and 28th in the "simplicity index" of the goods exported in the "Foreign Trade Potential of Provinces Survey," conducted by the Ministry of Economy. According to survey results, Hatay is among the provinces exporting high-variety products in comparison to other provinces and products which are not ordinary. Furthermore; it was stated that, exports of the province could increase much more with the new generation incentives, instead of the available incentives.

Especially the majority of industrial products, based on iron and steel industry and agricultural products, mainly fresh fruits and vegetables in exports of Hatay can be clearly seen.

Sectoral Distribution of Hatay's Exports in 2013

Source: Center of Turkish Exporters (CTE), 2013

Extending its market every day, Hatay makes around 63% of its exports to 10 countries.

Top 10 Countries in Hatay's Exports (2013)

Source: Centre of Turkish Exporters, 2014

In 2013, Iraq moved from second position to first position by increasing its share in Hatay's exports.

Although our exports to Syria came to a halt in 2011, because of the crisis in that country, this situation did not affect the exports of Hatay, which increases its foreign markets every single day, negatively. Furthermore; while the share of the Eastern Countries within the first ten countries to which Hatay exports was 35.3% in 2010 before the crisis, it reached 45.8% in 2012. If the stability is provided again in the Middle East, it is expected that the growth rate of exports of Hatay, which increases its market and has a more prominent role in markets other than the Middle East will increase even more.

Cotton planting was carried out in 406,600 acres of land and 210,248 tons of cotton was produced in our province in 2012. (TUIK, 2012).

Cotton, produced in our province has the required specifications in thread, textile and fabric industries in terms of its fibre length, fibre and the other features. 

There are 66 Industrial Registry certified Cotton Gin and Pressing Facilities established in our province for the separation and pressing of the produced cotton from their seeds. There are also 7 spinning facilities for the processing and spinning cotton and 12 cottonseed oil extraction facilities for the extraction of cottonseed oil.

Almost all of the cotton, produced, is processed in the Cotton Gin and Pressing Facilities in our province and pressed cotton is offered both for the domestic thread market and for export. In addition, there is a Cottonseed Facility for the production of the hybrid seeds of cotton to be planted. There are also large-scale facilities, producing towel, underwear, cleaning cloth from the cotton produced.

There are about 1500 companies in the woodworking sector in Antakya. These companies perform work, mostly requiring expertise and handicraft.

Hatay is the leader in the production of small household furniture and accessories in Turkey.

Mostly in economic grade, all types of suites for living and guestrooms are produced in our province. In addition to this, sofa beds which can be used as both sofas and beds, furniture for dining rooms and bedrooms, classic furniture and hotel rooms are produced and sold domestically and abroad.

Number of factories, engaged in the production of wooden doors and windows is increasing every day in the province.

40% of men’s shoes, sold in Turkey is provided from Hatay.

All stages of shoes, from raw hide to the final shape they are worn, are carried out in Hatay.

For the development of Shoe-Making Sector in our province, a Small Industrial Area for Shoe-Making will be established on 199 acres of land. In the site included in the National Investment Program, “Shoe making training, Design Centre and Shared Workshop” project which has been prepared by DOĞAKA; and presented to Regional Competitiveness Operational Program of the European Union, will be realized. 

Through the project with a budget of EUR 5.5 million;

• Establishment of “Shoe-Making Training, Consulting and Design Center and Shared Workshop” in the Small Industrial Area for Shoe-Making, which has an indoor area of 1500 m²,  equipped with high-tech machines and offering common use, training and consulting opportunities,
• Utilization of the established workshop by 100 companies in one year,
• Training of 200 sector executives and employees in one year in the established center,
• Providing consultancy services for 100 companies in one year in the established center,
• At least 20 businesses obtaining quality certificates through improvement of their quality standards within 2 years,
• Ensuring the participation of at least 20 businesses to domestic and external fairs,
• At least 10 businesses exporting their goods by creating their unique brands in 2 years,

Are being planned.

Comparative Energy Consumption Table of Hatay-Turkey

When we examine the energy consumption table of Hatay and Turkey between 2005 and 2012, we can see that the rate of increase in energy consumption in our province was above the average of Turkey in general. Rate of increase in energy consumption inour province was twice the rate of Turkey, especially in the last two years.

Energy Consumption Comparison of Hatay and Neighbouring Provinces, 2011

When we examine the energy consumption in amounts in 2011, we can see that consumption of Hatay is higher than the surrounding industrialized provinces.

Energy Production
Potential for Wind Energy
We can see that Hatay, ranks 4th in Turkey with 7.67% in the provincial percentage distribution of wind power plants in operation in terms of installed power. (Turkey Wind Energy Statistics Report, 2012)
Annual energy requirement of our province is 7,30 billion kWh. Currently, 1,56 billion kWh of energy is produced in our province. It is estimated that annual energy need of our province will rise to 10 billion kWh in the short term

Our province is an important center in terms of "WPP" (Wind Power Plants).

Wind Power Plants of Hatay in Operation

With the completion of the construction work of the 27 MW wind power plant, Hatay will increase its total installed power to 165,5 MW in the short term.  

Potential for Solar Energy
The Mediterranean is the 2nd region in terms of potential for solar energy and Hatay, with 8.21 hours of daily sunshine, is one of the provinces with the highest potential in this regard. Month by month, sunshine duration of Hatay is as follows:

RES, HES and TES Energy investments, licensed by EMRA and whose research continues, are 2,021 MW/h total and their approximate investment amount is 1. 3 billion EUR. This amount is expected to increase considerably in the forthcoming period, with the improvement of infrastructure.

Hatay is one of the most important centers of Turkey in terms of logistics sector. The region has some advantages in terms of logistics.

• Hatay has about 11% of the vehicles engaged in international transportation. With 9,978 registered vehicles, it has the 2nd largest transport fleet after Istanbul.
• Port of Iskenderun, a natural port in the very east of the Mediterranean, is located in Hatay. There is a total of 10 ports in Hatay.
• Hatay Airport, whose terminal building has been renovated, number of passengers flying from domestic and international terminals and the amount of cargo carried is increasing every day. 5,951 flights were realized and 650 thousand people were transported in 2012.
• Iskenderun has connection to the national railroad network.
• Hatay has Cilvegozu and Yayladagi border check-points, which are gateways to the Middle East.
• Hatay is situated in the East-West-Highway line.
• Ceyhan is adjacent to international energy transmission lines.
• There is ease of access to the western markets.
• It is close to Cyprus, which is, in many aspects, a center of attraction in the Middle East and Europe.
• Ropax services began from the Port of Iskenderun to Egypt, Israel and Lebanon in August 2012.

Privatization of the port of Iskenderun: The 4th biggest port of Turkey and privatized at a cost of 372 million $, Port of Iskenderun began to be run by the company LIMAK, as a result of transfer transactions on 30.12.2011 between General Directorate of Turkish State Railroads, Directorate of Privatization Administration and the administrators of the LIMAK company.
Iskenderun LimakPort, with its location of strategic importance, is a major hub port of Mediterranean and is open for improvement. The port has a very convenient location, especially to import and export to the Mediterranean and commercial and industrial centers in the South Eastern and Eastern Anatolia regions of Turkey. With the investment, which is still under construction, thousands of people will have an employment opportunity and container handling capacity will increase to 3 million TEU.

Logistics Master Plan: “Iskenderun Logistics Village and Logistics Centers of Antakya and Osmaniye Master Plan” which projects that the region will be a Logistics Centre with the privatization of Port of Iskenderun has been prepared. An establishment of Logistics Village was planned, which is based on the Port of Iskenderun and in which planning, implementation, and controlling of every kind of product, services and information flow which are in the process of production, transportation, storage, consumption and recycling processes are made considering the ease of life, environmental factors and optimization of total costs with this plan,. The Logistics Village to be established will not only serve the region but also a region from Iraq to the Caucasus, Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East.

Hatay is a city of peace, brotherhood and tolerance, which has hosted many civilizations with its rich cultural heritage. Its location and geography, the fact that it is one of the first settlements in the world, its climate and rich tourism wealth supports its toutism potential.

The number of passengers entering through the border check-points of Hatay in 2012 was 575,070 people. A total of 245,000 people came to the facilities with operation licenses in 2012. 257 thousand people visited the museums and historical sites of Hatay in 2012.

There are 26 lodging facilities with tourism operation licenses and 22 with tourism investment licenses in the province. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2012 data). There are two 5-star hotel in Hatay, where construction of another two 5-star hotels.

Did You Know?

• The province, where three divine religions and different sects live together, has "the second largest mosaic museum in the world".
• The first church in the world (Church of St. Peter) and the first mosque of Anatolia (Habib-iNeccar Mosque) are located in Antakya, the center of the province.
• Hatay is the first settlement of Jews in Anatolia.
• The first street to be illuminated in history, "Kurtuluş Street", is located in Antakya.
• The only Armenian Village of Turkey, Vakıflı Village, is located in Samandağ county.
• It is among the 15 provinces under the Brand City Project of Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
• Hatay, where many civilizations lived and whose cuisine culture affected by this diversity, is one of the special gastronomy areas of Turkey. There are many unique elements of Hatay cuisine. This cuisine, having about 460 food varieties, has over 200 distinctive food varieties of its own.
• The fact that the people in Hatay can speak Arabic makes the province attractive for Middle Eastern tourists.
• Number of total beds of the facilities with tourism operation license is 3,869. With the completion of businesses whose investments are still in progress, the number of beds with tourism operation license will rise to 7,000.
• Such traditional handicrafts as sericulture and silk weaving, wickerwork, mosaic, reed production, sculpture, glasswork and numismatics are performed in Hatay.

With the project, prepared in 2011, targets of the sector have been set until 2023.

Tourism Goals of Hatay Tourism Strategy & Action Plan for 2023:

• Number of beds increasing 5 fold in the province by 2023,
• Total number of visitors reaching 1 million people and the number of foreign visitors 500 thousand people by 2023,
• Tourism revenues, which was 118 million $ in 2010, to reach 215 million in 2015 and 565 million dollars in 2023,
• Establishment of geriatric care centers is of great importance to achieve the objectives. Generating 25 million $ revenue in 2015 and 107 million in 2023 from the activities of geriatric care centers is being aimed
• Anticipated Developments in the Number of Tourists According to the Plan

Source: Hatay Tourism Strategy & Action Plan