The chemical industry, which became Turkey's second-largest exporting sector in 2025 with USD 31.9 billion in exports, has set its sights on 2026 with new targets. Despite all the challenges experienced in global trade, the chemical industry, which has continued to post a chart full of success and stability in recent years, has united behind a USD 35 billion export target under the 2026 roadmap drawn up under the leadership of İKMİB.
The chemistry sector, which achieved USD 31.9 billion in exports in 2025 to become Turkey's second-largest exporting sector, focused on 2026 with new targets. Despite all the challenges in global trade, the chemistry sector, which has continued to draw a graph marked by success and stability in recent years, united behind the 2026 roadmap determined under the leadership of İKMİB with an export target of USD 35 billion.
Having exported to 238 countries and regions in 2025 and managing to raise the export value per kilogram above the USD 1 level again, the chemistry sector held a 13.5 percent share of Turkey's total exports. Pointing out that 12 of 16 sub-sectors in chemistry increased their exports in 2025, İKMİB Chairman Adil Pelister stated that the sector's reduction of imports by 8.8 percent represented a positive change for the future in terms of declining external dependence on raw materials and intermediate products.
Plastics and plastic products sector led chemistry exports
The sub-sectors that achieved the highest exports in the chemistry sector, which completed 2025 with USD 31.9 billion in exports, have been determined. While growth continued in 12 of the 16 sub-sectors, the sub-sector with the highest exports in 2025 was the plastics and plastic products sector with an export performance of USD 9.6 billion. The mineral fuels and products sector ranked second with USD 7.1 billion, while inorganic chemicals took third place in chemistry exports with USD 3.7 billion. Essential oils, cosmetics and soap ranked fourth with USD 2.3 billion, while pharmaceutical products became the fifth-largest exporting sector in chemistry with USD 1.8 billion in exports.
The Netherlands received the highest chemistry exports
In 2025, the chemistry sector exported to 238 countries and regions, with European region countries leading among the countries receiving the highest chemistry exports in 2025. The country receiving the highest chemistry exports in the past year was the Netherlands, while the top 10 countries included Romania, Italy, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Spain, United States, Russian Federation, Iraq and United Kingdom following the Netherlands. Among the top 20 countries to which chemical substances and products were exported in 2025, the largest increase was in the United Arab Emirates with a 346.13 percent growth rate.
Pelister: "Rising above the USD 1 level again in export value per kilogram is extremely important"
Noting that the chemistry sector contributes strength to Turkey's economy through both its powerful industrial base and stable export performance, İKMİB Chairman Adil Pelister stated, "Our chemistry sector, which touches every area of life and directly feeds 27 main sectors with its 16 sub-sectors, ranks second among our country's locomotive sectors in global trade with its successful export graph. We closed 2025 with 3.8 percent annual growth despite all global-scale and multi-dimensional challenges, with exports of USD 31.9 billion. We entered 2026 with a strategic vision and broad-perspective roadmap drawn as İKMİB, with a target of USD 35 billion in exports. For the period ahead, our greatest wish is for our industry to scale up and cross the threshold in exports with high value-added products. In this direction, we will continue to take steps as a unit that will be a legacy for the future for the chemistry exporters united under the İKMİB umbrella."
Pelister: "Following the Chemistry Technology Center we have brought to life through our Vision 2030 strategy, now comes Turkey Chemistry Agency"
İKMİB Chairman Adil Pelister stated that following the Chemistry Technology Center's completion of its accreditation process, all tests, analyses and certification procedures conducted in its laboratories have gained international validity, saying, "We fulfilled all our obligations in a much shorter period than the planned official timeline and received our accreditation from TÜRKAK. The fact that 39 tests previously conducted abroad will now be performed in Turkey for the first time at the Chemistry Technology Center is very valuable. This center, which provides additional time and cost advantages to our exporters, houses a new ecosystem from its information hub to its digital library. In line with our Vision 2030 strategy, among the steps we have put forward to carry our sector into the future, we are now moving to the stage of Turkey Chemistry Agency. We began pre-feasibility studies in 2025 for it to be positioned as an expert and regulatory interface institution to function as an information center and regulatory authority on sustainable management of chemicals. In the period ahead, we plan to organize the Turkey Chemistry Sector Assembly together with Turkey Chemistry Agency. We believe that this period of success and stability we have achieved in exports will continue with the unity we have achieved in management and the sustainable understanding. I would like to thank all members of the chemistry export family for their efforts and support."
İKMİB to organize 42 export activities for 25 countries in 2026
The Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB) will undertake a series of country and region-based activities in 2026 to bring chemistry exporters together with markets abroad. In this year, İKMİB will conduct 42 export organizations targeting 25 countries, with 17 national pavilions, 17 sectoral trade missions, 5 info stands and 3 Ur-Ge Projects on its agenda.
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