Turkey has exported automotive subindustry products worth more than $5.5 billion (TL 41 billion) in the first eight months of 2020, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Monday.
According to information from the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters Association (OIB), the country exported parts worth $5.5 billion to 193 countries, free trade zones and autonomous regions.
Most products were sent to Germany, which has a 38% share in Turkey’s total automotive exports.
Between January and August, parts worth more than $1.2 billion were sold to Germany, which took the lead with a nearly 22% share in Turkey’s automotive parts exports.
Automotive companies also sold products worth more than $311.6 million to Italy, which ranked second.
Romania ranked third in countries Turkey exported automotive parts to, with over $307.2 million.
The Turkish automotive industry has also exported parts worth between $306 million and $100 million to France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Russia, Poland, Slovenia, Belgium, Morocco and the Netherlands.
Exports to Azerbaijan, Brazil increase
Turkish exporters who sold more than $56.7 million to Brazil in the first eight months of 2019 increased the figure this year by over 26%, surpassing $71.6 million.
Meanwhile, the industry has seen a spike in Azerbaijan exports. Sales to the Turkic country increased by 58%, surpassing $43.4 million.
Exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also increased, surging nearly 18% to surpass $36.7 million.
Recently, OIB also announced that the total exports of the Turkish automotive industry hit $1.5 billion (TL 11 billion) in August.
According to the statement, the outbreak of the coronavirus affected Turkey's automotive industry's exports as well as its maintenance and repair activities in the factories.
These factors caused a decrease in August exports by 11% compared with the same period last year. The industry ranks second in Turkey’s exports with a 12% share. The January-July exports of the sector hit $14.5 billion.
The automotive supply industry exports totaled $729 million with $406 million in passenger cars, $237 million in cargo vehicles (vehicles used for transportation of goods) and $79 million for buses, minibuses and midibuses.
The coronavirus pandemic brought along an abrupt drop in activity and a halt in production, which dealt a heavy blow to the car market, especially in March and April. With lockdown measures imposed to combat the spread of the virus and dampening consumer confidence, sales nosedived. Still, Turkey managed to make it through the crisis less affected than other countries.
In the first seven months of 2020, the share of the automotive sector in Turkey’s total exports stood at 39.3%. France became the favorite market in this period with exports totaling $829 million, which was followed by Germany with $511 million and the U.K. with $452 million.