Aegean exporters achieved USD 3 billion in exports in the first two months

Exporters from the Aegean region, entering 2024 with the goal of maintaining their current level, achieved USD 3.056 billion in exports in the first two months of 2024 with a 4% increase, while reaching 197 different export markets and managing to increase their exports to 104 countries and regions. Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Coordinator President Jak Eskinazi said, "Our exports to the European Union, our traditional trading partner and the organization that has placed green transformation at the center of the global agenda, reached USD 1.380 billion in the first two months of 2024. In the first half of 2024, while our exports to 16 EU countries increased, the EU's share in EİB's total exports was recorded as 45%, and Europe's share in our exports was 51%. In the first two months, the highest regional export growth was 20%, reaching USD 391 million to the Americas. In addition to European countries where our exports are strong, in line with our Ministry of Commerce's Far Countries Strategy and following sectoral trade delegations we conducted, our exports to Colombia showed a 198% increase," he said. Stating that they exported USD 230 million with a 31% increase to Asia and Oceania countries, President Eskinazi said, "When examining EİB's exports with Far Eastern countries; to China, which plays a motor role in the world's green transformation, we achieved USD 70 million with a 58% increase in the first two months, USD 31 million to Japan with 85% growth, USD 12 million to South Korea, USD 4 million to Hong Kong, and USD 3 million to Taiwan with a 29% increase. In South Asia, we increased our exports to India by 2% to USD 14 million, to Pakistan with a 136% increase to USD 12 million, and to Bangladesh with a 130% increase to USD 7 million," he said. Jak Eskinazi said, "Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, is expected to become one of the world's five largest economies by 2045 according to research. We achieved a 27% increase in exports to Indonesia in the first two months. In the Asia-Pacific region, our exports to Malaysia were USD 6 million. Exports to Singapore increased by 32%, to Thailand by 90%. We achieved USD 355 million in exports to Middle Eastern countries, USD 239 million with an 8% increase to African countries. USD 149 million worth of products were sold to former Eastern Bloc countries. We recorded a 28% increase in Free Zones and 6% progress in Turkic Republics," he said.

Germany, USA, Italy in top three

Eskinazi announced that Germany maintained its first position with USD 316 million in the first two months of 2024 and referred to the top 10 countries in EİB's exports. "The USA ranks second with USD 278 million with a 12% increase, and Italy ranks third among our major trading partners with USD 180 million with a 3% increase. We exported USD 177 million to Spain, increased our exports to the United Kingdom by 26% to USD 149 million, to the Netherlands by 18% to USD 133 million, USD 135 million to France, Iraq with a 41% increase USD 79 million, Russia USD 70 million, China with a 58% increase USD 70 million are among the countries where we achieved exports." In the Aegean Region, the furniture, paper, forest products and manufactured products sector exported USD 9 million to Egypt, the iron and steel sector USD 57 million to Germany, the leather and leather products sector USD 4 million to Germany, the ready-made garments and apparel sector USD 49 million to Spain, the cereals, pulses, oilseeds and manufactured products sector USD 30 million to Algeria, the dried fruit and manufactured products sector USD 24 million to the USA, the mining sector USD 38 million to China, the fresh fruit, vegetables and processed fruit and vegetable sector USD 43 million to Germany, the aquaculture and livestock products sector USD 28 million to Italy, the textiles and raw materials sector USD 14 million to China, the tobacco sector USD 28 million to the USA, the olive and olive oil sector USD 36 million to Spain. Germany ranked first in the exports of İzmir and Manisa, the United Kingdom in Denizli's exports, Spain in Aydın's exports, Russia in Muğla's exports, Iraq in Balıkesir's exports, Italy in Kütahya's exports, and the USA in Uşak and Afyonkarahisar's exports.