TGDF Digital Data Panel Releases Sector Data

According to the TGDF Digital Data Panel prepared by Agrimetre based on Foreign Trade Data announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute, the agriculture, food and beverage sector recorded USD 17.9 billion in exports and USD 15.5 billion in imports during the first 9 months of 2022. According to foreign trade data published under the Special Trade System (STS), exports in the first 9 months of 2022 increased by 17.1% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching USD 17.92 billion, while imports rose by 31.4% to USD 15.47 billion. In September 2022, monthly export value increased by 8.7% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching USD 2.16 billion, while imports rose by 13.9% to USD 1.68 billion. [caption id="attachment_146273" align="aligncenter"] The agriculture, food and beverage sector recorded USD 17.9 billion in exports and USD 15.5 billion in imports during the first 9 months of 2022.[/caption]

Behind previous year's performance

Although the sector maintained its net exporting position on an annual basis, during the first three quarters of the year it lagged behind the previous year's trade surplus. The trade surplus in the first 9 months of 2022 decreased by 30.4% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching USD 2.45 billion. In the opening months of the year, the trade surplus was above 50% of the previous year's level. This ratio reached 101.5% in March. However, high monthly import figures in April, May and especially June, and a trade deficit recorded on a monthly basis in May, pulled down the trade surplus. In the first 6 months of the year, the trade surplus lagged 22.1% behind the previous year. While this decline continued through the summer months, September saw the downward trend in trade surplus reverse. Unit export value in the first 9 months of 2022 increased by 12.1% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching USD 1,196/ton. Import unit value rose by 17.7% year-on-year to USD 698/ton.

Leading products in foreign trade

The leading export products in the first 9 months of 2022 were flour (USD 1.05 billion), refined sunflower oil (USD 0.80 billion) and pasta (USD 0.71 billion), accounting for approximately 14.3% of total exports. The most imported products in the first 9 months of 2022 were wheat (USD 2.3 billion), soybeans (USD 1.8 billion) and crude sunflower oil (USD 1.2 billion). These 3 products made up approximately 34.3% of total imports, more than one-third. Leading export products in September 2022 were wheat flour (USD 153.8 million), refined sunflower oil (USD 109.8 million) and pasta (USD 81.8 million). The most imported products in the same period were wheat (USD 273.8 million), crude sunflower oil (USD 176.4 million) and soybeans (USD 101.7 million).

Sectors with highest exports

When foreign trade data for the first 9 months of 2022 were examined by sector, sugar and sugar products (USD 1,820 million), vegetable oils (USD 1,670 million), fresh fruit (USD 1,397 million), tree nuts (USD 1,275 million) and fishing and aquatic products (USD 1,140 million) ranked as the sectors with the highest exports. These 5 sectors accounted for 40.7% of total exports.

Leading countries in foreign trade

When foreign trade data for the first 9 months of 2022 were examined on a country basis, the top 5 export destinations were Iraq (USD 2,727 million), Germany (USD 1,175 million), Russia (USD 1,164 million), United States (USD 1,051 million) and United Kingdom (USD 527 million). Exports to these 5 countries represented 37.1% of total exports. The main products exported to these countries were flour, frozen chicken meat and tomato paste for Iraq; hazelnut kernels, packaged hazelnuts and cherries for Germany; and peaches, trout and tangerines for Russia. Examining import data by country, the top 5 import sources in the first 9 months of 2022 were Russia (USD 3,730 million), Ukraine (USD 2,053 million), Brazil (USD 1,709 million), Malaysia (USD 863 million) and United States (USD 749 million). Imports from these 5 countries represented 58.8% of total imports.