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Istanbul exporters increased their exports by 30.5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. They achieved this by exporting 4 billion 568 million dollars in the first five months of 2022 with its seven exporters' associations.

Istanbul Exporters' Associations (İİB) became the second union that increased its exports at the highest rate among other general associations. İİB Coordinator Chairman Müjdat Sezer said, “İİB's exports grew above the Turkey average. We anticipate that this success will continue in June. And that we will close the first half of the year with an increase in exports.”

Iraq, the USA, And Norway Were the Most Exported Countries

In the first five months of the year, Iraq made the highest amount of exports, with 336 million dollars on a value basis. Poultry, animal products, furniture, paper, and forest products were among the most sold products to Iraq. After Iraq, Istanbul made the highest exports in terms of value to the United States, Norway, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

The top exports to the USA were cereals, pulses, oilseeds, furniture, paper, and forest goods. The ships and yachts sector were the most prominent in Norway. The hazelnuts and their products, furniture, paper, and forest products were popular in Germany. And furniture, paper and forest products, cereals, and pulses products were the forerunners in exports to the United Kingdom. Based on country groups, the region to which İİB exports the most was the Middle East countries with 923 million dollars.

Istanbul Showed High Performance In May

In May, Istanbul increased its exports by 19.2 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. Istanbul exported 824 million dollars. The Union made the most exports to Iraq, the United States, and Norway. The Istanbul Furniture, Paper, and Forest Products Exporters' Association exported $1.6 billion in the first five months of the year. This showed a 37.7 percent increase over the same period the previous year.

The Istanbul Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, and Products Exporters' Association (IHBIR) increased its exports by 19.5% to $1 billion 278 million. While the Ship, Yacht, and Services Exporters' Association (GYHIB) increased by 26.3 percent to 577 million dollars. These were followed by Istanbul Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters' Association (İSHİB) and Istanbul Hazelnut and Products Exporters' Association (IFMİB). Istanbul Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters' Association and Istanbul Dried Fruits and Products Exporters' Association (KUMİB) also followed. 

“İİB's exports grew above the Turkey average”

The Istanbul Exporters' Association, with its more than 20 thousand active members operating in different cities, exhibited a successful performance with its exports in May. The export of the Union has grown above the average of Turkey. It is anticipated that this success will continue in June and that the association will close the first half of the year with an increase in exports.

The president of the association said, "We continue to work with all our strengths with our events for our target markets. National participation fairs, international competitiveness development (UR-GE) projects, purchasing committees, and trade delegations we organize through digital platforms will greatly contribute to our goal. In May, we held the Turkish national participation organization at the "Sweets & Snacks EXPO 2022," the largest chocolate and snack products fair in the Americas. We organized the Kazan Summit and the Russian Halal Turkish stand. It brought together the economic representatives of Russia and Islamic countries under the coordination of the İİB."

There Is A Great Increase in Exports Not Only in Istanbul But Also in Turkey

Turkey's exports approached 126 billion dollars in January-June 2022, increasing by 20 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. In this period, exports made based on provinces (excluding exports from free zones) increased by 19.2 percent. Exports rose to 114 billion 5 million dollars. In the first half, 67 out of 81 provinces throughout the country increased their exports, while the decrease was in the single digits in 6 provinces. 

In the January-June period, Istanbul made the highest export, with 49.95 billion dollars. Istanbul was followed by Kocaeli with 10.15 billion dollars and Bursa with 7.92 billion dollars. Finally, İzmir came with 7.14 billion dollars. 

The Exports of 15 Cities Exceeded One Billion Dollars

Apart from the top ten, Kayseri, Konya, Adana, Mersin, and Antalya were among the cities that exported more than a billion dollars. Istanbul had the highest rise in exports in terms of value, with $9.23 billion, followed by Kocaeli with $2.31 billion. 

Ferhat Gürüz, Chairman of the Board of the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association spoke. He announced that Turkey's export revenue exceeded 940 million dollars in the 2021-2022 citrus season.

The sector evaluated 2.2 million tons of products in international markets in the citrus fruit season. Turkey exported the most to Russia, Iraq, and Ukraine. And the strongest performance in foreign sales volume was achieved in Croatia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan markets.

Turkey Exported the Most Tangerines in the Citrus Season

Turkey's citrus production has made great progress in the last 30 years, and the number of trees has exceeded 47 million. According to the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, 5.3 million tons of citrus were produced in Turkey in 2021. 1.8 million tons of this harvest consisted of tangerines, 1.7 million tons of oranges, 1.5 million tons of lemons, and 249 thousand tons of grapefruit.

In the citrus export season that started on August 20, 2021, Turkish fresh fruit and vegetable exporters added value to 2.2 million tons of products as of the end of May. In the season that lasted for 9.5 months, the total export amount in the citrus product group was 940 million 596 thousand dollars. $480 million was from mandarin exports, $280 million from lemons, $113 million from oranges, and $67 million from grapefruit.

Eastern Mediterranean Dominates in the Production

Turkey, which is a global player in citrus production and export, has undisputed superiority thanks to the Eastern Mediterranean region with its climate advantages and fertile lands. Adana, Hatay, and Mersin provinces carry out 73% of the citrus production in Turkey. This superiority of Çukurova in citrus production is also reflected in the export reports. The share of the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association in citrus exports is progressing at 75%.

Russia Receives the Largest Share of Citrus Exports from Turkey

Evaluating the citrus season exports by countries, Chairman Ferhat Gürüz stated that the main markets in this product group are the Commonwealth of the Independent States, the EU, and the Middle East countries. Stating that the Commonwealth of Independent States is the largest market with a share of 61%, President Gürüz said:

“In the 2021-2022 citrus season, Russia was one of the countries to which we exported the most, with a share of 45%. In 9.5 months, we exported 419.4 million dollars to Russia. With a share of 45%, Russia was followed by Iraq with a share of 11.5% and Ukraine in third place with a share of 11%. When we look at the countries with the greatest growth in export volume during the season, Croatia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan stand out. We exported citrus fruits to Croatia for $8.9 million with an increase of 88%, to Belarus for $15.8 million with an increase of 59%, and to Kazakhstan for $6.4 million with an increase of 57%. We also achieved significant increases in the markets of Azerbaijan-Nakhichevan, Poland, Syria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Half of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exports Came from the Mediterranean

President Gürüz mentioned Turkey's fresh fruit and vegetable exports in May, announcing $190.4 million in exports for the month.

Utilizing 314 thousand tons of products in foreign markets in May, the sector exported the most tomatoes, peaches, and lemons. Mediterranean exporters reached a value of $26.7 million in tomatoes, $25.5 million in peaches, and $24.7 million in lemons.

In May, the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association exported $94.5 million with an increase of 29%. Its share in the country's overall sector exports was at the level of 50%. President Gürüz added that in January-May 2021, Turkey's overall sector exports reached $1.16 billion, and regional exports reached $540.7 million.

In 2021, Tangerine Exports Reached Half a Billion Dollars

This success in the citrus exports is nothing new for Turkey. The rising importance of immune system strengthening throughout the pandemic affected exports. In 2021 citrus exports, which include fruits such as citrus, oranges, lemons, and tangerines, reached 1 billion dollars. Mandarin, which meets almost half of the citrus exports with its aroma and long shelf life, increased its exports by 4% in 2021 compared to the previous year and reached approximately $454 million.

Turkey, the second country that exports the most citrus fruits in terms of quantity in the world, is in the top 10 in the world in tangerine production with its climate and ecological structure. Satsuma-type tangerine, grown only in the Aegean Region in the world, is in demand from all countries with its intense aroma, easy peeling, and long shelf life.

In addition to production, packaging and storage stages of tangerines also shape the export traffic. Equipped with advanced technologies, processed products that go through the stages of drainage, washing, drying, waxing, processing, and packaging increase the export value-added. The completion of these stages in full and under the best conditions also raises the export unit price of tangerines. By using these advanced processes, Turkish Goods ensures you receive the best citrus products from Turkey.

Turkish exporters broke the highest monthly export record in June. Comparing June to the same month in the prior year, exports increased by 18.5 percent to $23.4 billion. Turkish Trade Minister Muş said "In the first half of the year, our nation sold goods worth 126 billion dollars. As a result, in the first half of 2022, we recorded the highest monthly export figure and completed 6 out of 6."

At a news conference, Mehmet Muş, delivered a remark regarding the export data. Minister noted that Turkey's export performance in the first half of 2022 was consistent with that of 2021, saying, "Our exports in June 2022 climbed by 18.5 percent compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 23.4 billion dollars. This is the biggest monthly export figure in history, I can say with delight. As a result, we increased our export value by 30% to 55 billion dollars, which was the greatest monthly value in the first six months of 2022.”

Turkey Broke Monthly Export Records In 20 of the Last 22 Months

Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) Chairman Mustafa Gültepe stated, "The continuation of the current growth momentum in our exports is tremendously useful for us. Our exports rose by 18% in June to a record $23.4 billion, the greatest monthly total ever. This amount exceeded 126 billion dollars in the first six months, an increase of 20%. Over the year, we exported more than $246 billion. In 20 of the previous 22 months, we broke records for monthly exports. I'd like to thank everyone in our export family for this exceptional success. At this time, we can see that Turkey is prepared to discuss export goals that are higher than $250 billion and to sail toward new frontiers.”

The Country’s Exports Increased Significantly Over the Previous Year

Exports in May 2022 climbed by 15.2 percent to 18 billion 973 million dollars from the same month last year. Exports climbed by 20.4 percent to 102 billion 504 million dollars between January and May of 2022 compared to the same period last year.

Germany Was the Most Exported Country

In order, Germany (up 6% to $1.5 billion), the United States (up 10.4% to $1.2 billion), and Iraq (up 44.1 percent to $978 million) were Turkey's top three export markets in May.

The top 10 countries by export share as a percentage of global exports had a 46.8% share.

The European Union (EU-27), the national group to which Turkey exported the most goods in May, saw an increase of 17.4% to $8.1 billion. Countries in the near and Middle East saw an increase of 30.2 percent to $3 billion 160 million. Other European countries had an increase of 1.8 percent to $2 billion 435 million.

Turkish Trade Minister Muş Gave A Statement About the Exports

At the press conference he held, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş offered his thoughts on the foreign trade statistics for May. Muş mentioned Turkey's outstanding export performance in 2021. And he continued, "In the first five months of 2022, our country's export performance remained robust."

When compared to the same month last year, Turkey's exports in May climbed by 15.2 percent, totaling 19 billion dollars. "The highest May export on record is at this time. Consequently, we broke records in the first five months of 2022 by achieving the largest monthly export values ", he added.

Turkey Is Rapidly Approaching Its $250 Billion Target For the Year 2022

The Minister said, "With our 12-month exports totaling $246.2 billion, we are moving forward step by step toward the export objective of $250 billion, which we have set out for the end of 2022.”

Strengthening Turkey's Trade Connections Is the Ministry’s Priority

According to Muş, the Ministry would keep up its efforts in commercial diplomacy indefinitely to help exporters navigate the more challenging global economic environment. They carefully analyzed their trade and economic ties with several nations throughout May. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Pakistan were among these nations.

Muş vowed to continue their efforts to advance international trade. Along with formal activities, he reported lengthy meetings with corporate umbrella organizations. He also emphasized that they had made advancements that would make the country a desirable location for transit trade. "In these difficult times, I trust our exporters will continue to contribute to growing our exports and services." he continued.

Turkey’s citrus export data for 2021 was published by Mediterranean Exporter Associations. It seems that the Covid-19 epidemic raised awareness in terms of the importance of citrus consumption in strengthening the immune system. This is reflected in the production and the export of citrus. 

According to the published data, citrus exports that include fruits such as orange, lemon and tangerine amounted to 1 billion dollars. On the other hand, with its potent aroma, tangerine fulfilled almost half of the exports. It increased 4% compared to the year before and reached 454 million dollars in value. 

Sustainable Production 

Turkey’s production facilities play an important role in the success of exports. Integrated facilities that cover the entire process from the processing of tangerines allow for sustainable production in Turkey. With its state-of-the-art facilities, the products go through drainage, washing, drying, waxing, processing and packaging stages which raises the added value of exports.

Chairman of Avrupa Yatırım Holding, Ramazan Burak Telli spoke about the exports of Turkey. He mentioned the increasing demand for tangerine in the world. “Turkey, which is the second country that exports the most citrus on an amount basis, is among the top ten tangerine producers in the world. Especially satsuma, which is only grown in the Aegean Region, is high in demand due to its potent aroma and long shelf life. Aside from tangerine’s production, its packaging and storage stages also shape the exports.” Telli added that the completion of all these states in perfect conditions had an effect on the increasing prices in exports.

Importance of Packaging in Health and Safety

In addition to the quality of the products that are being produced, there is another step that is just as much important. According to Telli, that stage is the packaging stage. When it comes to food products, packaging becomes extremely important in terms of preserving the product in ideal conditions. It is also quite fundamental in creating sanitary conditions for food products. This makes packaging directly related to health and safety. 

Telli spoke about the importance of packaging as well. He said, “The fact that fruits produced in sanitary and ideal conditions are packaged and preserved in cold storage increases the success of exports.” Since the products are preserved in ideal conditions, they arrive in perfect condition at the end of the export process. This creates a safe environment for food products to be consumed. In return, this positively affects the exports of Turkey.

70% of the Produced Satsuma Will Be Exported

Ramazan Burak Telli also touched upon the production of Satsuma. Noting the production processes continuing in the state-of-art facilities, he mentioned their plans for exporting Satsuma to the world. Emphasizing that the facilities are capable of producing 100 tons of tangerines, Telli stated that they were planning on exporting 70% of the total production. 

He also added that they were planning on improving the facility further. With additional investments that amount to 10 million TL, the capacity of the facilities will be increased. In addition, the facilities will continue to advance in technology.

The New Facility Will Also Create New Job Opportunities

Ramazan Burak Telli also spoke about their initiatives to provide financial support to the farmers. He also added that they were increasing their production capacities. He said, “We are targeting to reach 8 thousand exports. We have started harvesting tangerines in June, even before the harvest period in September.”

He also spoke about the job opportunities the new and constantly improving facility will create. “We will employ 500 people in total and continue to support agriculture.” Therefore, tangerine production and exports of Turkey seem to not only be beneficial for global trade, but it is also quite crucial within the country. By increasing the production of tangerine, not only the exports but also the employment rates in Turkey will increase significantly. 

Import Citrus Products from Turkey

Since citrus products have a significant role in Turkey’s production and exports, you can also take part in this successful trade opportunity by contacting Turkish Goods. Turkish Goods partners with a wide selection of reliable suppliers in Turkey. By working directly with the producers and suppliers, Turkish Goods is able to provide its clients worldwide with high-quality products in many different categories. 

Having a professional team speaking 13 languages, we are ready to assist you during the entire process. If you want to import citrus products, you can contact Turkish Goods to receive a quotation within 48 hours. We offer the best global wholesale prices. With a simple click, you can easily import any product you wish with the guarantee of Turkish Goods. 

According to Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) figures, Turkey's exports climbed by 15.2% in May compared to the same period of the previous year. And it reached 18 billion 972 million dollars.

Turkish exporters' "alternative market" strategy continued to yield positive results. And Turkey established export records in eight countries last month.

The countries where Turkey broke records in monthly exports were Senegal, Dominican Republic, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Cameroon, Costa Rica, and Montenegro.

Turkey exported 87 million 265 thousand dollars to Senegal and 71 million 236 thousand dollars to the Dominican Republic. The country also exported 66 million 522 thousand dollars to North Macedonia during this time period. These countries were followed by Rwanda, Tajikistan, Cameroon, Costa Rica, and Montenegro.

Steel Production Rose To Prominence In Countries With Record-Breaking Exports

The steel industry had the largest export sales to 5 of the 8 nations where Turkey set a new export record. The top five destinations for exported steel were Senegal, the Dominican Republic, North Macedonia, Cameroon, and Costa Rica.

The steel industry exported 41.7 million dollars to Senegal and 61.3 million dollars to the Dominican Republic. North Macedonia followed with 25.8 million dollars, Cameroon with 15.4 million dollars, and Costa Rica with 26.7 million dollars.

In terms of overseas sales, Rwanda's grains, pulses, and oilseeds, Tajikistan's electric and electronics, and Montenegro's ship and yacht services sectors stood out.

The cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and products sector exported 1.2 million dollars worth of goods to Rwanda. The power and electronics sector exported 5.8 million dollars' worth to Tajikistan. In addition, Montenegro received 20.7 million dollars worth of exports from the ship and yacht services sector.

The Highest Export Is from Companies In Istanbul

Companies from Istanbul exported the most to eight nations, where Turkey set a new record for international sales in May.

In May, Istanbul companies exported 74.7 million to Senegal, 62.2 million to the Dominican Republic, and 27.3 million dollars to North Macedonia. These were followed by Rwanda, Tajikistan, Cameroon, Costa Rica, and Montenegro, respectively.

Turkey's Exports Increased Significantly Over the Previous Year

In May 2022, compared to the same month of the previous year, exports increased by 15.2% to 18 billion 973 million dollars. In the January-May period of 2022, compared to the same period of the previous year, exports increased by 20.4% to 102 billion 504 million dollars. 

Germany Was the Most Exported Country

The top three destinations for Turkey's exports in May were, in order, Germany (up 6% to $1.5 billion), the United States (up 10.4% to $1.2 billion), and Iraq (up 44.1% to $978 million).

The share of the first 10 countries with the largest share of exports in total exports was 46.8%.

The country group to which Turkey exported the most in May, respectively; European Union (EU-27) increased by 17.4% to 8 billion 10 million dollars. Near and Middle Eastern Countries increased by 30.2% to 3 billion 160 million dollars. Finally, other European countries increased by 1.8% to 2 billion 435 million dollars.

The Raw Material Group Led the Exports in May

The category "Raw Materials (Intermediate Goods)" had the largest exports in May, with $10.5 billion (18% increase). Consumer goods ($6 billion 226 million, a 6.4% rise) and investment (capital) goods ($1 billion 968 million) came in next for this category (24.2 percent increase).

The manufacturing industry export share in May was 94.7% ($17.9 billion). It was followed by agriculture, forestry, fishing industry, and mining & quarrying industry.

Turkish Trade Minister Muş Gave A Statement About the Exports

Trade Minister Mehmet Muş commented on the foreign trade figures for May at the press conference he held. Muş noted that Turkey had remarkable export success in 2021. And he added, "Our country continued to have strong export performance in the first five months of 2022". In May, Turkey's exports increased by 15.2% compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 19 billion dollars. "This is the highest May export of all time. Thus, we achieved the highest monthly export values ​​in all of the first 5 months of 2022, breaking records in the first 5 months," he said.

Commercial Diplomacy Will Strengthen Turkey's Trade Relations

Muş stated that the Ministry will continue its commercial diplomacy efforts indefinitely to assist exporters in navigating the increasingly difficult global economic environment. Throughout May, they thoroughly examined bilateral trade and economic relations with different countries. These countries were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Pakistan.

Muş stated that they will not relent in their attempts to promote foreign trade. He mentioned intensive meetings with corporate umbrella organizations as well as official engagements. Muş also highlighted that they have introduced innovations that will help the country become a destination for transit trade. He added, "In these challenging circumstances, I believe our exporters will continue to do their part to increase our exports and services".

Turkish exports reached 19 billion dollars in May, up 15.2 percent over the same month a year earlier, according to figures from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM). The highest May export total ever was attained with the aforementioned sum.

In the January-May period of this year, exports increased by 20.4 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 102.5 billion dollars. 

The textile and raw materials sector continues to gain value in the export market in Turkey. Moreover, the sector, which crowned this value with 4.4 billion dollars, also broke a 5-month record. The sector recorded an increase of 11.2 percent in the January-May 2022 period compared to the same period of the previous year. It is also one of the expectations that the sector will maintain this value in the second quarter of the year.

According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), the textile and raw materials sectors exported more than 743 million dollars in May last year. In the same period of this year, export of the sector increased by 3.2 percent to 767 million dollars.

316 million dollars of the sector's exports in May were made from Istanbul. Gaziantep followed Istanbul with 132 million dollars and Bursa with 87 million dollars.

The fast bonanza of the textile and raw materials industry has once again demonstrated the importance of textiles. The hopes for the sector were brought forth. While the expectations for exports are high, expectations for the textile and raw materials sector are also increasing.

The Most Sales of the Sector Was to Italy

Italy received 73 million dollars worth of imports from the textile and raw materials industry in May. Following Italy in the ranks is the United States with 45 million dollars and Spain with 44 million dollars.

EU countries ranked first in-country groups with the highest export volume of 316 million dollars in May. The Commonwealth of Independent States came in second with 117 million dollars. African countries ranked third with 99 million dollars.

The textile and raw materials sector exported to 166 countries and regions in May. It also counted for a 4 percent share of the country's total exports in the same period.

"Innovative studies continue to increase the share in exports and market diversity."

He stressed that the sectoral trade and procurement committees are still working to connect Turkish businesses with international brands.

Among the Exporters' Associations in the USA, there is only one export fair organized specifically for the fabric industry. He stated that they will organize this sectoral fair, which is called the I of the World-New York fair.

He announced that this fair, which will add incredible movement to the market's diversity, will be held on July 20–21. Thanks to this fair, it is predicted that the dynamism in the export share in the past years will continue this year as well.

He emphasized the expectations by saying, “We foresee that we will easily reach exports of over 1 billion dollars to the USA this year with the effect of the fair we will hold.”

The importance of fairs draws attention as innovative studies continue to increase the share in exports and market diversity. While the size of Turkey's place in exports is in sight, its rise in textile is also promising.

Target: To Be in the Top Three in Exports in the World!

Ahmet Öksüz, President of Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters' Association (İTHİB), mentioned last year's export figures. He reminded that last year, the Turkish Textile Industry broke Turkey's Republican historical record in exports. He also stated that they expect another record at the end of this year. He emphasized that they are continuing their goals for this record without slowing down. Öksüz stated that the works in the textile sector were accelerated: “We made a good start to 2022.”

Ahmet Öksüz stated that it was clear from the first months that Turkey's success in the textile industry would go further. And he emphasized:

“In the first 5 months of 2022, we exceeded the export value of the previous month and reached the Republic's history records every month. At the end of the year, we aim to achieve 15 billion dollars in exports. At the end of this year, we aim to increase exports to at least 85 percent of our export markets. "

He claimed that they were still working on sustainability, the industry's top goal and agenda item. He emphasized the importance of delegations and fairs that will provide market diversity in exports and projects that will increase added value. In addition to these, he said that they aim to make Turkish textiles a world brand in the medium term with promotional activities.

And Öksüz concluded by saying that they aimed to be one of the top 3 exporters in the world.