Business · Economy · 5 hrs ago
Kahramanmaraş Industry Faces Weak Demand and Financing Strains
Kahramanmaraş’s factories have largely rebuilt since earthquakes hit the city and 10 other Turkish provinces three years and eight months ago.
Many residents who left after the disaster have returned, and the city’s industrial workforce has been supported by jobs in construction.
The city’s yarn production capacity is now around 50%, below the 60% to 65% level before the earthquakes.
Industry association head İsmail Dinçer says the remaining problems are mainly about financing and business conditions, not earthquake damage.
Weak demand in Europe and competition from China and India have narrowed a key market for the city’s textile businesses, while geopolitical risks have also disrupted some shipments.
Factories are not running at full capacity, and uncertainty about when demand will recover is making investment difficult.
Dinçer says he cannot predict when global demand will improve, so the industry’s recovery remains uncertain.
Kahramanmaraş industrial businesses face weak demand and financing pressures despite recovering from earthquake damage.
KASİAD president İsmail Dinçer said he knows of no local facilities operating at full capacity.
The city’s production capacity, which was 60–65% before the earthquakes, has recovered to about 50%, according to Dinçer.
He cited lower European consumption, competition from China and India, geopolitical risks and uncertainty about when demand will recover.
Most residents who left after the earthquakes have returned, and construction has so far absorbed employment losses in industry.
- Who
- Kahramanmaraş’s industrial businesses, including its yarn and textile producers. KASİAD president İsmail Dinçer described the sector’s conditions.
- What
- The sector is facing weak demand and financing strain, while production capacity remains below its pre-earthquake level.
- When
- The article was published on 22 October 2026. The pressures described are current in the article.
- Where
- Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, with effects linked to export markets in Europe and the Middle East.
- Why
- Dinçer cited weak global demand, reduced European consumption, competition from China and India, geopolitical risks and financing conditions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Kahramanmaraş factories damaged in the disaster were rebuilt, and production resumed.
Some factories returned to production within one or two months, while others took a year, Dinçer said.
The city’s production capacity has recovered to about 50%, compared with 60–65% before the earthquakes.
Dünya published Dinçer’s account of weak demand and financing pressures in the city’s industry.
- Pre-earthquake capacity
- 60–65%
- Current production capacity
- About 50%
- Pre-earthquake yarn production share
- About half of Türkiye’s production
- Population difference
- 31,000 between the city’s pre-earthquake and current populations
- Export markets
- Europe and the Middle East
What people are saying
The earthquake-related part has been resolved.
I do not know when the lack of demand in the world will change.
We got back on our feet after the earthquake, and just as we were about to run, a crisis broke out in the world.