Turkey’s industrial sector achieved the highest monthly exports of all time with foreign sales exceeding $16 billion (TL 220.44 billion) last month.
The country’s overall exports increased by 33.4% in November compared to the same period of 2020, reaching $21.4 billion, according to an Anadolu Agency (AA) report that cited data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).
The industrial sector's exports increased by 33.9% in November compared to the same period of the previous year, accounting for 75.9% of total exports last month.
Among the sectors related to the industry, the automotive industry saw the highest exports with $2.5 billion.
It was followed by the chemical and product sector with $2.3 billion, the steel sector with $2.48 billion, ready-made clothing and apparel with $1.73 billion, jewelry with $1.28 billion, electricity and electronics with $1.27 billion, ferrous and non-ferrous metals with $1.20 billion, textiles and raw materials with $937.4 million, machinery and accessories with $840.4 million, the air conditioning industry with $561.3 million, cement glass ceramics and soil products with $397.2 million, the defense and aviation industry with $384.5 million, carpets with $280.5 million, the ship and yacht sector with $259.8 million, leather and leather products with $148.6 million and other industrial products with $15.2 million.
While 15 out of the 16 sectors within the industry group increased their exports in November, a decline was observed in the foreign sales of one sector.
Among the industries, the jewelry sector realized the highest rise with 307.6% in this period in question.
This sector was followed by the defense and aerospace industry with 100.9%, steel with 69.5%, other industrial products with 67.6%, ferrous and non-ferrous metals with 58.2%, chemicals and products with 47.1%, leather and leather products with 43.1%, textiles and raw materials with 33.1%, the air conditioning industry with 27.8%, cement, glass ceramics and soil products with 24.9%, machinery and accessories with 21.2, ships and yachts with 16%, electrical and electronics with 15%, ready-to-wear and apparel with 14.4% and carpets with 8.9%.
Foreign sales in the automotive sector decreased by 6.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. Despite the decrease, it continued to be the leading sector in exports.
In November, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, leather and leather products, ready-made clothing and apparel, the air-conditioning industry, machinery and parts, and the automotive industry made the most exports to Germany; cement, glass ceramics and soil products, carpet, defense and aerospace industries mostly exported to the United States; electronics and the jewelry sector mostly to the United Kingdom; the steel, textile and raw materials sectors mostly to Italy; other industrial products to Vietnam; the ship and yacht industry mostly to China and the chemical and products sectors made the most foreign sales to the Netherlands.
The highest demand for industry-related sectors came from Germany. The ferrous and non-ferrous metals sector exported $159.6 million in products to Germany, while the leather and leather products sector exported $12.2 million; ready-made clothing and apparel $299 million; the air conditioning industry $54.4 million; machinery and accessories $92.9 million and the automotive industry $393.3 million.
Turkey’s overall export figure in November was also the highest monthly figure.
Imports also jumped 26.7% in November from a year ago to $26.8 billion. The foreign trade deficit last month widened 5.4% to $5.3 billion, the data showed on Dec. 2.
Exports had ended 2019 with nearly $180.5 billion, an all-time high, before falling to $169.5 billion in 2020, overshadowed by major disruptions in global trade.
The 12-month rolling sales came in at $221 billion, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş said earlier. The country aims to close the year with over $211 billion in foreign sales, according to the government's economic program.
