According to data from the Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB), chemical substances and products exports reached USD 1 billion 636 million in January 2021.Italy was the leading destination for chemical exports in January, while the United States ranked second with a 76.70% increase. Exports to Lebanon rose by 68.33%.
Adil Pelister, Chairman of the Board of the Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB), commenting on the chemical sector's export figures for January, stated: "Our chemical sector completed 2020 as the second-largest exporting sector with USD 18.3 billion in exports. In January this year, chemical substances and products exports reached USD 1.64 billion, representing a 2.82% decline compared to January of last year.
Although we are starting the year in the shadow of the pandemic globally, our hope is pinned on the widespread uptake and impact of vaccination, particularly expecting a more positive trend in the second half of the year. Turkey's Manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index) data shows that the index, which was at 50.8 in December, rose to 54.4 in January. We anticipate that the increase in production will have a positive impact on our exports in the coming months. We expect the government's reform efforts to give priority to investments in our chemical sector.
As İKMİB, we have also prepared a report identifying priority areas for investment in our sector. We have shared the "Turkish Chemical Sector Priority Investment Products Report" with both the relevant ministries and our sector and the public. We believe this report will also guide those who wish to make domestic investments in our sector. Our target is to complete 2021 exports with 12% growth," he said.
Italy leads in chemical exports in January
Italy was the top destination for exports in January. Other countries in the top ten following Italy in January were the United States, Germany, Lebanon, Iraq, Spain, United Kingdom, Israel, France and Egypt. Of the top 10 countries for exports in January, seven recorded export growth, while exports to Italy, Iraq and Egypt declined. Among these countries, the largest increase was to the United States, followed by Lebanon, France and Spain.
Chemical exports to Italy in January 2021 amounted to USD 103 million 197 thousand. In January, the main exports to Italy were "mineral fuels, mineral oils and products", "plastics and articles", "inorganic chemicals", "organic chemicals" and "rubber, rubber articles".
January saw the highest exports of "plastics and articles"
In January, plastics and articles exports among chemical substances and products ranked first in chemical exports with USD 534 million 913 thousand. Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products ranked second with USD 361 million 445 thousand in exports, while inorganic chemicals exports ranked third with USD 158 million 164 thousand. Other sectors in the top ten following inorganic chemicals were: rubber and rubber articles, pharmaceutical products, essential oils, cosmetics and soap, paints, varnishes, inks and related preparations, miscellaneous chemical substances, organic chemicals and washing preparations.
The largest export growth among subsectors in January was 32.28% in pharmaceutical products, while the largest contraction was 32.73% in mineral fuels, mineral oils and products.
2021 monthly chemical exports
| MONTH |
2020 VALUE ($) |
2021 VALUE ($) |
CHANGE (%) |
| January |
1,683,218,155.09 |
1,635,828,125.07 |
% -2.82 |
| TOTAL |
1,683,218,155 |
1,635,828,125 |
% -2.82 |
Top countries for chemical exports in January 2021
| NO. |
Country |
JANUARY 2020 VALUE ($) |
JANUARY 2021 VALUE ($) |
CHANGE (%) |
| 1 |
ITALY |
133,485,707.34 |
103,197,341.90 |
% -22.69 |
| 2 |
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
47,416,677.04 |
83,785,636.70 |
% 76.70 |
| 3 |
GERMANY |
80,087,733.18 |
83,044,328.12 |
% 3.69 |
| 4 |
LEBANON |
45,614,628.76 |
76,780,875.50 |
% 68.33 |
| 5 |
IRAQ |
73,216,829.86 |
70,705,370.74 |
% -3.43 |
| 6 |
SPAIN |
41,384,466.52 |
65,882,141.16 |
% 59.20 |
| 7 |
UNITED KINGDOM |
41,451,455.79 |
47,766,202.80 |
% 15.23 |
| 8 |
ISRAEL |
40,942,130.30 |
47,519,765.65 |
% 16.07 |
| 9 |
FRANCE |
28,253,213.18 |
45,514,678.90 |
% 61.10 |
| 10 |
EGYPT |
55,726,647.11 |
44,953,917.84 |
% -19.33 |
Chemical sector subsectors in January 2021 exports
| |
|
|
2020 -2021 |
| |
JANUARY 2020 |
JANUARY 2021 |
% CHANGE |
| PRODUCT GROUP |
VALUE ($) |
VALUE ($) |
VALUE |
| PLASTICS AND ARTICLES |
483,518,350 |
534,913,511 |
% 10.63 |
| MINERAL FUELS, MINERAL OILS AND PRODUCTS |
537,344,914 |
361,445,716 |
% -32.73 |
| INORGANIC CHEMICALS |
131,327,090 |
158,164,291 |
% 20.44 |
| RUBBER, RUBBER ARTICLES |
104,181,940 |
109,114,121 |
% 4.73 |
| PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS |
78,258,567 |
103,522,910 |
% 32.28 |
| ESSENTIAL OILS, COSMETICS AND SOAP |
86,198,315 |
93,033,236 |
% 7.93 |
| PAINTS, VARNISHES, INKS AND RELATED PREPARATIONS |
63,554,920 |
71,607,952 |
% 12.67 |
| MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES |
54,415,321 |
66,479,371 |
% 22.17 |
| ORGANIC CHEMICALS |
62,815,297 |
60,438,289 |
% -3.78 |
| WASHING PREPARATIONS |
38,331,804 |
34,698,370 |
% -9.48 |
| FERTILIZERS |
22,672,408 |
20,965,056 |
% -7.53 |
| ADHESIVES, GLUES, ENZYMES |
18,619,867 |
19,043,048 |
% 2.27 |
| PRODUCTS USED IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY |
918,924 |
1,254,132 |
% 36.48 |
| GUNPOWDER, EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES AND DERIVATIVES |
976,260 |
1,103,207 |
% 13.00 |
| GLYCERIN, VEGETABLE PRODUCTS, DEGRA, FATTY SUBSTANCES |
73,987 |
39,883 |
% -46.09 |
| PROCESSED ASBESTOS AND MIXTURES, ARTICLES |
10,190 |
5,033 |
% -50.61 |
| TOTAL |
1,683,218,155 |
1,635,828,125 |
% -2.82 |
