Among priority areas of the progressive social and economic policy pursued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov – a complex development of the trade sphere. In turn, before the given branch there are such priorities, as expansion of trade and economic relations with world countries, increase in manufacture of import replacing goods, strengthening of food security of the fatherland, improvement of trade services, the major goal of which – to ensure the demands of people.

A final link of any industrial chain is the trade sector. Accordingly, the level of its development, a variety of forms of activity, the goods and services testify not only to the level of the purchasing power of population, but also to the potential of industrial branches of the country and intensification of its international economic relations.

Drawing the attention to the development of the economic complex for six months of the current year at the extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, which took place on July 14, the President of Turkmenistan noted that with a view of improvement of supply of the home market with foodstuffs and other essential commodities it was necessary to involve fully the industrial potential of the trade complex.

Today, the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations carries out due work to purchase from local and, if necessary, from foreign manufacturers of necessary volumes of goods for satisfaction of demands of population. According to instructions of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the control over the prices and maintenance of commodity abundance, delivery of high-quality import goods and decrease of their quantity at the expense of growth of kinds of production made by Turkmen enterprises and increase in volumes of its export is exercised properly.

Thanks to the successfully realised programs, a large-scale work is carried out for diversification of economy, implementation of radical transformations and wide introduction of innovations in all spheres. Along with other branches, the trade sphere, on the development of which large investments is made, is also reformed according to requirements of the time.

Numerous modern shopping and entertainment centres with high technology services, shops, markets, public catering establishments constructed in Ashgabat and regions of the fatherland provide the high quality of services rendered to the population and visitors of the country and an assortment of offered goods extends.

National programs developed and realised, undertaken steps for digitalization provide steady rates of increase in all sectors of the economic complex, including in the trade sector.

At present, digitalization is a key to solution of set of goals of sustainable development. One of the most fast growing in the world and popular sectors of employment among the youth - the market of digital technologies. It is due to the fact that more and more customers prefer namely it. And to comply with the demand of buyers and to compete successfully in the market, it is necessary to apply advanced technological solutions and to introduce new mechanisms of marketing relations.

In the national system of trade, a legal basis was developed and systematically improved for introduction of digital technologies in management of wholesale and retail networks. The Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations developed and commissioned into practice “Rules for distance sales of goods” in which general provisions for creation of remote trade were included, including those concerning advertising and procedure for delivery of the goods, conclusion of the contract of purchase and sale and rights of consumers were defined.

According to the Rules, internet shops, which possess their own warehouses and sell the goods only via their sites, can operate in the country. Thus, the internet shop can combine some kinds of trade (from its warehouse and sale on demand). The list of goods, realisation of which is not subject to through internet shops was also defined.

Today, experts of the enterprise “Agzybirlik tilsimaty”, based at the "Centre of computer technologies” of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations are involved in realisation of plans for digitalization of state trade enterprises in Ashgabat.

Thanks to the given centralised system, there is a possibility to receive data on supply of all objects of trading network with various kinds of the goods, to track their movement, in due time to fill up stocks in shops, having adjusted uninterrupted supply. Introduction of this technology allows conducting the electronic reporting on sales and accounts with suppliers, to supervise and operate the market more effectively.

The principal body of regulation of export-import transactions in the country, a powerful information-analytical source of the data visually illustrating the demand for production of leading branches of national economy, is the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange of Turkmenistan (SCRMET). With a view of improvement of its work, the new Procedure for conduction of exchange auctions on realisation of products of the oil and gas sphere outside of our country, agricultural and industrial-communication complexes was confirmed.

A large scale work is carried out to introduce the system of application of bar codes, thanks to which tens of thousands of titles of the commodity output, which is let out by local producers, corresponding marks were already given and it acts as an effective guarantor of their advancement on the world markets. The joining of Turkmenistan the International organisation on creation and introduction of uniform standards GSI (Global Standard One) also reflects the fact of recognition of our country as a reliable and responsible participant of international trade and economic partnership.

The mechanism of functioning of structure of SCRMET was adjusted and the spectrum of its activity is extremely wide. A strategic goal of the Exchange is the increase and acceleration of goods turnover: on the one hand, growth of volumes of export of Turkmen goods, on the other hand- supply of home market with consumer goods, industrial and technological production and the equipment intended for modernisation of various branches of economy.

Analysing the factors influencing import and export of production, the State Commodity and Raw materials Exchange estimates expediency of import and export in the country and supervises pricing for Turkmen export goods. Representatives of business circles from more than 40 states, including Russia, China, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the USA, and others, purchase domestic production exposed at the exchange auctions.

Incorporating the advanced experience of stock exchanges of foreign countries, SCRMET carries out the functions in the light of solution of goals set before it by the head of the state for further development of the commodity market, stimulation of foreign trade operations, increase in volumes of export of goods with a view of integration of Turkmenistan into the world economic system. At the same time, the legislation regulating activity of the Exchange is regularly improved according to interests of the state and requirements of the time.

Granting to Turkmenistan the status of an observer country (“an active observer”) in the World Trade Organization (WTO) became the next evidence of successful realisation of the foreign policy of the neutral fatherland pursued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and aimed at development of mutually beneficial cooperation in equal rights with all interested foreign partners, including with the authoritative international organisations and structures. Thereupon, the Working Group on Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO was established.

Participation in the activity of the World Trade Organization serves an important element of development of market relations in Turkmenistan at the high international level and according to conventional rules. The status of (“the active observer”) at the WTO creates favourable conditions for systematic growth of national economy, the further strengthening of position of our state in the system of the foreign trade relations, promotes expansion of multilateral trade and economic relations, attraction of multi-million investments and opens new prospects for development of its own capacities and export potential increases.

The peace-loving policy realised under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov based on the status of neutrality of Turkmenistan, promotes development of international trade and economic relations. At present, the work in this area proceeds.

So, trade houses, the number of which annually grows were established abroad. Joint-stock companies with limited liability “the trade house of Turkmenistan” in the city of Moscow of the Russian Federation, “the Turkmen-Belarus trade house” in Byelorussia, “the Turkmen-Turkish trade house” in Istanbul of the Republic of Turkiye play a significant role in strengthening of economic relations.

With a view of fulfilment of “Programs of development of foreign trade activities of Turkmenistan for 2020-2025”, in February, 2022 in the capital of Tatarstan “the Turkmen trade house”, which is engaged in wholesale and retail realisation of various production made in our country and in the Russian Federation, was opened.

In the international community, Turkmenistan is known as the state with high potential in the sphere of manufacture of goods. Today, in the world market non-polluting Turkmen textiles, magnificent carpets as well as agrarian and industrial complex production are highly demanded. For this reason, according to the “Strategy of foreign trade of Turkmenistan for 2021-2030”, the goal for manufacture of new goods under the national trademarks and their wide promotion abroad was set.

Let us remind that in one of the meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers held last year, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov approved the decision on development of the national brand (label) of commodity mark “Made in Turkmenistan”. “Production with the brand “Made in Turkmenistan”, enjoying a great demand in the world markets, is an acknowledgement of steadily increasing export possibilities of our country”, - the head of the state noted.

Annually the demand for textile products of sewing manufacture that allows to sate home market with high-quality goods of wide assortment and to realise them in foreign countries grows. Production of such brands as “Gala”, “Nusaý”, “Goza”, “Bedew”, “Bürgüt” becomes in the world a prestigious trade mark.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), which successfully co-operates with profile structures of foreign states, plays an important role in development of foreign economic relations, formation of market relations, and stimulation of business initiative.

For years of independence, CCI has taken an important step on the way of perfection of its activity and turned into a large business centre and business association of the country. International exhibitions, business forums organized by it promote expansion of partnership with interested parties.

Maintaining relations with chambers of commerce and associations of other countries on the basis of agreements and reports on cooperation, CCI in the field of information exchange, concerning the organisation of exhibitions, fairs and symposiums, including those in the online mode actively co-operates and acts as co-ordinator of the international congress -exhibition actions in Turkmenistan and abroad.

Today, the activity of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry is aimed at realisation of the economic policy of the President of the country, attraction of internal and foreign investments, assistance to expansion of export possibilities of Turkmen manufacturers as well as strengthening of international cooperation by use tools of state and private structures.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov constantly specifies necessity of systematic analysis of conjuncture of the world market for formation of flexible export policy of Turkmenistan taking into account the changing demand, regional and global tendencies. Thus, the head of the state underlines that business development - the most productive way of increase of competitiveness and efficiency of national economy.

Adoption of the Law “On the Union of Industrialists and Enterprises of Turkmenistan (new edition)” in 2019 became an important step on the way of development of state-private partnership which, in turn, caused expansion of lines of activity of domestic businessmen, their powers, participation in realisation of large investment projects and state programs.

Thanks to the huge attention and support by the President of the country, the private sector got optimum legal, economic, financial and social conditions for harmonious and constructive development of small and medium business and private initiatives.

A significant place is given to the private sector in modernisation and diversification of branches of the economic complex, increase of volumes and assortment of high-quality, competitive production, maintenance of food abundance and growth of the export potential of the fatherland .

Being a driving force of the national economy, the private sector also envisages an active development of industrial sector, innovative activity of companies and individual enterprises, which more and more actively master new segments of the market, including foreign ones. A considerable part of the goods, which are let out by local businessmen, is realised in shopping centres of Turkmenistan abroad.

Thus, promptly developing the sphere of trade, perfection of activity of profile structures within large scale transformations successfully carried out by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov are called to promote further development of abundance of goods in Turkmenistan and accordingly, increase of standard of living of people in the Era of Revival of the New Epoch of the Powerful State.