Türkiye's exports to Syria have increased by over 50% since the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar Assad in December, a statement said on Wednesday.
Türkiye supported opposition forces in Syria throughout the 13-year civil war that ended with the with the overtrhow of Assad and has become one of the new Syrian government's main foreign allies.
It is now positioning itself to be a major player in Syria's reconstruction.
Both sides have since added pace to bilateral economic exchange, which saw Turkish exports increasing by 54.31% year-over-year in the Dec. 8-Aug. 17 period, the Trade Ministry said on Wednesday.
"Our country is Syria's largest trading partner," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement noted that the ministry's work and activities continue uninterrupted to sustainably increase bilateral trade with Syria, reiterating that Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar and his accompanying delegation visited Türkiye on Aug. 5-6.
"Eighteen memorandums of understanding have been signed, including the memorandum of understanding establishing the Türkiye-Syria Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) and the memorandum of understanding establishing the Türkiye-Syria Business Council," it said.
The statement noted that nearly 100 Turkish companies, along with Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, are scheduled to participate in the Damascus International Trade Fair, which will begin on Aug. 27 and continue until September. Türkiye will open a 1,000-square-meter (10,763 square feet) Turkish pavilion.
"On this occasion, a high-level trade delegation will be organized by the Türkiye Exporters Assembly, and our leading companies in the sector will also have a strong participation in the Damascus International Fair," it said.
The ministry also stressed that the import restrictions imposed by Syria on certain agricultural products and chicken meat apply to all countries and that the decision is a temporary, periodic measure.
The Syrian Land and Sea Ports Authority made a decision on July 27 to restrict imports of certain agricultural products (tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, squash, eggplants, peppers, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, watermelons, melons, figs, dried figs, garlic, and eggs) and chicken meat for the month of August only.
