Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) Announces September Export Figures in Mersin

Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM) Announces September Export Figures in Mersin

Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM), with the participation of Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, announced September provisional foreign trade data in Mersin, where it held the "TİM Mediterranean Council," the fifth of its regional assemblies serving as an open communication platform for TİM. In September, exports reached USD 15.22 billion according to the General Trade System (GTS). In the first nine months of the year, exports rose 2.56 percent to USD 132.5 billion, while exports over the trailing 12 months reached USD 180.2 billion. TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle, noting that despite the negative impact of global trade wars and economic-political conflicts in 2019, exports continued their successful monthly performance as anticipated, said: "Since the start of the year, we have experienced a rapidly updating agenda in terms of global trade and shifting market balances. The export performance demonstrated by countries in 2019 further highlights our nation's success. Therefore, thanks to the dynamism and strategic decisions of our exporters, our exports continue to show increases above those of our competitors through correct route determinations. The initiatives implemented in our exports under the leadership of our Minister and digitalization steps are creating grounds suitable for records. In particular, as our added value and price-quality performance increase, we also experience more sustainable successes. I congratulate our companies on this achievement in your presence. As exporters, we foresee that with the New Economic Program, the roadmap drawn will shoulder a process of change as of the first quarter of 2020 in line with expectations for growth, employment, inflation, and current account balance."

Addressing details concerning September exports, the TİM Chairman said: "First, 1,392 of our companies said 'hello' to exports in September. From Mersin province as well, 23 of our companies joined our export family for the first time. Looking at the company level, a total of 38,744 of our companies carried out exports during September."

The automotive sector led September with USD 2.6 billion in exports. The automotive sector was followed by chemicals with USD 1.7 billion in exports and ready-to-wear clothing and apparel with USD 1.5 billion in exports. The sectors showing the largest export growth were hazelnuts and hazelnut products, reaching USD 278 million with 113 percent growth, defense and aviation, reaching USD 164 million with 34 percent growth, and cement, glass, ceramics and earth products, reaching USD 305 million with 25 percent growth. Looking at the number of countries to which sectors export, chemicals came first with exports to 201 countries and regions, steel second with 191 countries, and cereals third with 188 countries. In September, exporters succeeded in flying Turkey's flag in 213 countries and regions. While exports increased to 115 of these countries, increases in 84 countries exceeded 10 percent, and in as many as 36 countries exceeded 50 percent. The top 3 countries with the most exports were Germany with USD 1.4 billion, the United Kingdom with USD 1.1 billion, and Italy with USD 882 million. The share of the top 10 countries in exports was 49.4 percent, while this share in the top 20 countries was 66.3 percent. The European Union, our largest market, accounted for 49.4 percent of our exports in September. Looking at provincial exports, 49 provinces increased their exports in September. The top 3 provinces with the most exports were Istanbul with USD 6 billion, Kocaeli with USD 1.3 billion, and Bursa with USD 1.2 billion. The most striking increases occurred in Yalova, which increased its exports nearly fourfold to reach USD 10.2 million, Kastamonu, which increased 2.5 times to reach USD 10.9 million, and Trabzon, which increased more than twofold to exceed USD 120 million.

The ships and yachts sector influenced Yalova's export growth, while jewelry in Kastamonu and hazelnuts in Trabzon drove the success

Within the scope of the program, Turkish Eximbank's Mersin Branch was also opened for service during a ceremony held within the Mediterranean Exporters Association (AKİB), attended by Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, Turkey Exporters Assembly Chairman İsmail Gülle, and Eximbank General Manager Enis Gültekin. İsmail Gülle: "In 2018, exporters from Mersin province alone increased their exports 15 percent compared to the previous year, bringing them to USD 1.7 billion. This raised the province's share of exports above 1 percent. Our Mediterranean Exporter Associations continue their ambitious export figures. We see that AKİB increased its exports 11 percent in the first nine months, approaching the USD 10 billion mark. Preceding these developments, after our Foreign Trade Complex in Istanbul and the İhracatçılar Birliği Liaison Office in Izmir, we are now opening a branch in our AKİB building to serve our exporters. In 2018, Eximbank contributed 1 dollar for every 4 dollars of our exports. This ratio will be raised to even higher levels in the very near term. We said it would not do to expect everything from the Ministry of Trade and the Treasury and Finance Ministry on this matter. As TİM and our Exporter Associations, we transferred TRY 256.2 million to Eximbank last month from our reserves. In doing so, we put our shoulder to the wheel so that our bank can serve more exporters under more favorable conditions and across a wider range of services. Our most fundamental priority is that every single lira in our associations be placed back at the disposal and use of our exporters.