Asunción, Agencia IP.- Mehmet Ozturk is an entrepreneur dedicated to planning and marketing, working to establish Paraguay as a logistics and production center so that large Turkish companies can expand into South America.
In a conversation with Agencia IP, Mehmet mentioned that for over five years, he has been visiting various countries in South America, seeking opportunities to expand the Turkish companies he serves, and highlighted that Paraguay offers the best investment opportunities.
«For five years, I have been visiting countries in the region, and we have seen an opportunity, especially in Paraguay because it is the heart of South America and is connected through its rivers to Brazil and Argentina, with important ports, abundant energy, and that is an opportunity,» he said.
He pointed out that this mission aims not to sell products to Paraguayans but to establish long-term partnerships between Turkish companies, which, due to their significant financial and technical capacity, can seek to expand into such distant markets and local companies aiming to grow regionally.
«For example, we can start working with a Paraguayan company that only operates within the country. This company will be international through the alliance in a few years,» he said.
He noted that the market targeted by these investments includes Paraguay, which would be the logistics and production center, and nearby regions of Brazil and Argentina, such as Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Iguazu, Misiones, Corrientes, and Formosa, which have a population of 120 million people and a combined GDP of $900 billion annually.
«In Turkey, we have major companies that have many relationships in Europe, the United States, China, and Russia but not in Latin America, and this region is a huge and promising opportunity,» he said.
He emphasized that the Turkish companies he works with «are ready and waiting to do business with potential partners.»
Several possible investment sectors
Among the investment sectors mentioned are industries dedicated to metallurgical production, furniture, and cellulose, which are already evaluating investing specifically in Paraguay.
«We have a large client in the furniture industry that has many stores and operations in the United States, Asia, and Europe; another company that wants to invest in a cellulose factory, and we are evaluating if Paraguay is the most suitable country for this project, another large client dedicated to metallurgical production,» he mentioned.
«Some want to set up factories, and others, who already export to North America, seek to establish partnerships with partners in this region of the continent, who provide market knowledge and the culture of this region,» he added.
He estimated that once a Turkish company establishes such partnerships in Paraguay, many more companies will come because Turkey needs new partners, just as Paraguay also needs investments to improve the quality of life of its population.
Regarding Paraguay’s particular appeal, he highlighted its political and financial stability, existing production incentives, energy availability, and lower production costs compared to other countries.
«Labor costs are cheaper than in Turkey, but that is not decisive because there are other regions in the world with low costs but where it is difficult to do business. Paraguay is a much easier and safer market to start,» he claimed.