Malatya was first introduced to the textile industry when the Sumerbank Factory was built, and today is one of the Turkish provinces that has made textiles a priority. Thirtyfive percent of the facilities in the 1st Organized Industrial Zone, which continues to see investment in this area, belong to textile companies. Meanwhile, textile companies comprise fifty percent of the investors who have applied to invest in the 2nd Organized Industrial Zone. Known as the "Apricot Capital", Malatya is beginning to make a name for itself in several othersectors in the region.
The economy of Malatya is based on agriculture, agricultural industry and animal breeding. Malatya has significant influence both economically and socially as one of the most populous provinces in the Eastern Anatolia Region. The population of Malatya began to increase rapidly in the 1980s with the creation of the lake at the Karakaya Dam, the founding of Inbnu University, the presence of the 2nd Army Corps and the impact of GAP.
With a geographical location that makes it an important center of commerce, Malatya established its Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1923, and currently has 41 collective companies, 2,895 limited companies and 550 corporations registered. Not including those in the planning stages, there are currently 87 companies operating in the textile sector. Today, Malatya is capable of processing every type of cotton, produces every type of thread and any fabric from combed cotton, to canvas, tarpaulin and denim.