The chairman of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) announced Thursday plans to open Turkish Trade Centers in an additional seven countries.

Mehmet Büyükekşi, who spoke during a "Stars of Export 2016" award ceremony organized by the West Mediterranean Exporters Association (BAIB) in southern Turkey's Antalya, detailed TIM's support to exporters and revealed the Assembly's intent to establish Turkish Trade Centers in Germany, France, England, Russia, China, Indonesia and Kenya.

Previously opened Turkish Trade Centers include the 4,500 square meter center in Iran as well as centers in Dubai, New York and Chicago. Büyükekşi noted that TIM was able to meet 75 percent of the of the expenditures of the Turkish Trade Centers in target countries and 60 percent of expenditures in other countries, thus offering huge opportunities to exporters.

Büyükekşi also underlined that he intended to codify the right of exporters to obtain Green Passports and to offer Green Passports to around 14,000 exporters. Green Passports would allow exporters to travel to a large range of countries without visa problems and would thus considerably facilitate the export business.

Büyükekşi stated that 2017 was to be the launch year of exports and said that during the first quarter of 2017, exports had increased by 10 percent. The goal for 2017, according to Büyükekşi, was set at $153 billion, but TIM aimed to reach $155 billion.

"Our target is to reach an export value of 500 billion dollars and to enter the range of the world's 10 biggest economies. In order to achieve this, tranquility, trust and steadiness are very important. It is crucial that we undertake our next steps in this sense," Büyükekşi added.