Global buyers to attend Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair

By Ahmet Taş | Hosting İstanbul
AFYONKARAHİSAR, Türkiye — The Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association is preparing to bring 30 importers from 7 major natural stone markets to the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair.

Buyers from the United States, China, India, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Egypt are expected to meet Turkish natural stone exporters during the fair. These 7 countries were among the key markets where Türkiye exported a total of $1.06 billion worth of natural stone in 2025. The program aims to create new export opportunities through hundreds of bilateral business meetings.

Buyers from 7 countries to meet Turkish exporters

The purchasing delegation program will be organized with the support of the Ministry of Trade.

Importers from the United States, China, India, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Egypt will visit the fair and hold face-to-face meetings with Turkish marble and natural stone exporters.

The buyers will also have the opportunity to visit marble quarries and observe Türkiye’s production capacity directly. This is expected to help foreign buyers better understand the strength, diversity and quality of the Turkish natural stone sector.

Türkiye offers wide natural stone variety

Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association Chairman İbrahim Alimoğlu said Türkiye’s natural stone sector offers 150 different varieties and 650 color and pattern options to global markets.

Alimoğlu noted that the association organized its first purchasing delegation of 2026 during the İzmir Marble Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, held on April 14-17, 2026.

That delegation included importers from India, Russia, the United States, China, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Italy, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Greece, Romania, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

The second purchasing delegation of the year is now being planned for the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair.

“We support every fair to increase exports”

Alimoğlu said the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association supports every fair organized to increase Türkiye’s natural stone exports.

He emphasized that, through purchasing delegation programs supported by the Ministry of Trade, the association brings global importers together with Turkish natural stone exporters, who rank among the top three in the world.

According to Alimoğlu, these meetings are not only about short-term sales. They also help build long-term commercial relationships and strengthen Türkiye’s position in global natural stone markets.

United States ranked first with $432 million

Among the countries included in the purchasing delegation program, the United States ranked first in 2025 with $432 million worth of Turkish natural stone imports.

China followed with $390 million in demand for Turkish natural stone. India ranked third among the participating countries with $145 million in imports.

In 2025, Türkiye exported $31 million worth of natural stone to Morocco, $28 million to Italy, $18 million to Egypt and $16 million to Spain.

These figures show that the purchasing delegation at the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair targets some of Türkiye’s most important export markets.

1,500 block marble pieces to be displayed

The Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair will showcase 1,500 block marble pieces across a 20,000-square-meter exhibition area.

Block marble fairs are especially important for large-scale buyers, quarry operators and companies seeking raw material supply. Importers will be able to inspect different colors, patterns, vein structures and quality options directly at the fairground.

Afyonkarahisar’s strong position in marble production also increases the significance of the fair. The region is known as one of Türkiye’s leading natural stone production centers.

240 companies to take part

A total of 240 companies are expected to participate in the fair.

The participants will include natural stone producers, machinery manufacturers, sectoral organizations and municipalities. Of these 240 companies, 184 will be direct natural stone producers.

A total of 84 member companies of the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association will also take part in the event. These companies will represent the production and export strength of the region.

The participation of machinery manufacturers will also make the fair an important platform not only for block marble trade, but also for production technologies and sectoral infrastructure.

Purchasing delegation offers export opportunities

The purchasing delegation program coordinated by the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association will give exporters the chance to meet qualified international buyers face to face.

Bilateral meetings are expected to help Turkish companies reach new markets, strengthen existing customer relationships and present their product range directly to decision-makers.

Exporters who wish to participate in the purchasing delegation program can submit their applications through maden@eib.org.tr.

Such programs are considered strategically important for the natural stone sector, especially at a time when companies face freight costs, global competition and market diversification needs.

Afyonkarahisar to become a natural stone showcase

The Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair will provide Türkiye’s natural stone sector with an opportunity to present its production capacity directly to international buyers.

The expected participation of buyers from the United States, China, India and European markets is seen as important for the sector’s export goals.

The business meetings held during the fair are expected to create new orders and long-term trade connections.

With its wide range of colors, patterns and natural stone varieties, Türkiye will present one of its strongest export sectors to global buyers in Afyonkarahisar.

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