Samsun, Turkey — Mustafa Gültepe, Chairman of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), announced that Turkey achieved its highest-ever monthly export value in July, reaching $25 billion. The export data was shared by Trade Minister Ömer Bolat during a public event held in Samsun.
In the TİM statement, Gültepe noted that Turkey’s exports from January to July totaled $156.4 billion, while 12-month rolling exports reached $269.5 billion. The $2.5 billion increase in exports compared to the same month last year was primarily driven by the automotive and chemical sectors, as well as favorable currency parity effects.
“We’re not complaining, but for sustainable and consistent growth, we need to involve all sectors in the game,” Gültepe stated.
He acknowledged that the first half of 2025 fell short of expectations despite starting the year with a $280 billion export target, but highlighted a strong rebound in the second half, fueled by favorable exchange rate movements.
Key Export Highlights (July 2025):
• Record monthly export: $25 billion (up 11% YoY)
• 7-month total (Jan–Jul): $156.4 billion (up 5.1%)
• 12-month total: $269.5 billion (up 3.1%)
• Estimated services exports: $11.8 billion
• Top sectors:
• Automotive: $3.8 billion
• Chemicals: $3.4 billion
• Apparel: $1.58 billion
• Electronics: $1.57 billion
• Steel: $1.4 billion
Seventeen sectors reported increased exports, while nine saw a decline. The top five exporting provinces were Istanbul, Kocaeli, Ankara, Bursa, and Izmir. Meanwhile, Ankara, Bolu, Çankırı, Edirne, and Muğla hit their highest-ever monthly export figures.
First-Time Exporters and Parity Effects
In July, 1,180 companies exported for the first time, and currency parity effects contributed $825 million to the monthly export figures—bringing the total parity benefit over the last three months to $1.6 billion.
Top Export Destinations:
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• United States
• United Arab Emirates
• Italy
Exports to 52 countries rose over 50%, and 107 countries saw gains above 10%. In total, exports to 137 countries increased.
Gültepe emphasized that sustained double-digit growth depends on broad-based contributions from all sectors. Notably, automotive exports rose 23% and chemical exports surged 33%, jointly contributing $1.6 billion of the $2.5 billion monthly increase.
He also welcomed the Turkish Central Bank’s 300-basis point interest rate cut and the extension of the 3% FX conversion incentive, thanking Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan for these measures.
U.S. Tariff Concerns
Gültepe addressed the U.S. decision to raise tariffs on Turkish goods from 10% to 15%, calling it an “unfortunate move” by the Trump administration. Despite this, he reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to strengthening its position in the U.S. market:
“If we can return to the competitiveness conditions of 2–3 years ago, we can turn our partial advantage into a strategic opportunity,” Gültepe said, stressing the importance of robust trade diplomacy with the United States.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök