Turkish firms’ research and development (R&D) expenditures exceeded TL 63 billion ($8.34 billion) between 2010 and 2019, according to an official report published Thursday.

The manufacturing sector ranked first in those expenditures with some TL 27.9 billion, while the information and communication sector came second with TL 12.9 billion, the "Sector Balance Sheet 2019" report, published by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), showed.

R&D expenditures by the firms were recorded as TL 2.4 billion in 2010 but showed a continuously increasing pattern in the following years with TL 3.3 billion, TL 3.6 billion, TL 4 billion, TL 4.8 billion, TL 5 billion, TL 5.9 billion, TL 7.8 billion, TL 10.6 billion and lastly TL 15.9 billion last year.

Following the manufacturing and the information and communication sectors, the mining and quarrying sector ranked third in R&D expenditures during the 10-year period with TL 11.1 billion.

In the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles sector, some TL 4.5 billion R&D expenditures were recorded, while the professional, scientific and technical activities sector followed it with TL 3.5 billion.

R&D expenses were recorded at TL 634 million in culture, arts, entertainment and sports; TL 620 million in transportation and storage; TL 534 million in construction; TL 495 million in administrative and support service activities; TL 423 million in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and distribution and TL 231 million in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

The real estate sector, accommodation and food services, education, human health and social service activities, other service activities and water supply, sewerage, waste management and improvement activities were listed as the sectors that recorded the least R&D expenses in the 2010-2019 period with TL 137 million, TL 93 million, TL 87 million, TL 76 million, TL 46 million and TL 19 million, respectively.