Aegean Region's Exports Approached $4 Billion in April

The Aegean Region's April exports rose 13.6% year-on-year to USD 3.908 billion. The regional exports approached the USD 4 billion mark, with strong April performance offsetting significant losses from the first quarter of the year.

According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce by operative provinces, the Aegean Region achieved USD 3.44 billion in exports in April 2025, with the figure rising to USD 3.908 billion in April 2026.

The region's January-April export volume reached USD 13.882 billion. Although a 1.7% decline occurred compared to the same period last year, the double-digit growth achieved in April signaled a recovery in regional exports.

The export loss that reached USD 720 million in the first quarter of 2026 declined to USD 237 million following April's performance.

Izmir became Turkey's third-largest exporting province
Izmir, the export hub of the Aegean Region, maintained its regional leadership in April with USD 2.04 billion in exports. Izmir ranked as Turkey's third-largest exporting province, accounting for 52% of the Aegean Region's exports on its own.

Izmir's April exports showed an 8.7% increase compared to the same month last year, while the province's January-April export volume declined 3.2% to USD 7.382 billion.

Manisa signaled export recovery
Manisa, which ranks second in the Aegean Region's exports, halted the export losses it experienced in the first three months of the year during April.

Manisa's April exports rose 12.1% from USD 599.4 million to USD 671.8 million. Manisa achieved total exports of USD 2.3 billion in the first four months of 2026.

Denizli accelerated export momentum
Strong growth was also recorded in April in Denizli, one of the Aegean Region's major export centers. Denizli's exports rose 29% from USD 351.6 million to USD 452 million.

Denizli's January-April export volume increased 9% from USD 1.46 billion to USD 1.593 billion.

The combined April exports of Izmir, Manisa and Denizli rose 12% from USD 2.828 billion to USD 3.163 billion, with the three provinces accounting for 81% of the Aegean Region's total exports.

Balıkesir became the region's export growth leader
Balıkesir, which increased its exports 52% in April, became the Aegean Region's export growth leader. Balıkesir's exports rose from USD 168 million to USD 255.7 million.

Aydın's April exports reached USD 173.6 million with a 23.2% increase, while Muğla achieved USD 113.6 million in exports with a 5.4% rise.

Kütahya's exports increased 13.5% to USD 93.6 million, and Uşak's exports rose 41.3% to USD 37.6 million.

Afyonkarahisar was the only province in the Aegean Region to see a decline in April exports. Afyonkarahisar's exports fell 19% from USD 86.8 million to USD 70 million.

Öztürk: "Two additional business days made a difference in April"
Muhammet Öztürk, Coordinator President of the Aegean Exporters Associations, stated that working two additional business days compared to last year and parity effects played an important role in the April export increase.

Emphasizing that the CBRT foreign exchange conversion support provided to exporters should be raised from 3% to 5% to sustain export growth, Öztürk made the following assessment:

"In addition to increasing the foreign exchange conversion support rate, we expect support announcements to be made on an annual basis rather than quarterly periods. This will increase our exporters' ability to forecast. Creating financing conditions that allow exporters to catch their breath, managing the exchange rate-inflation balance more healthily, and particularly increasing policies supporting value-added production will further strengthen our export performance. When exporters lose momentum, it directly affects not only foreign trade but also production, investment, employment, and our country's growth targets."