Turkey’s agriculture and industry sectors both recorded the highest export figures in the country’s history in the January-July period, according to data released Friday.
The country’s overall exports in the first seven month of this year have soared by 19.1% when compared to the same period of last year to reach $144.4 billion (TL 2.59 trillion), according to data released by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).
In the said period, the agriculture industry conducted exports worth $18.7 billion, the highest recorded January-July figure.
While Turkey's agricultural exports increased by 20.4% in the seven months compared to the same period of the previous year, it received a 13% share from the total exports.
In the January-July period, cereals, pulses, oilseeds and the exports of their products recorded $6.3 billion, fruit and vegetable products exports were recorded at $1.3 billion, dried fruits and products exports were $829.8 million, aquaculture and animal products exports were $2.4 billion and furniture and paper and forest products exports were $4.7 billion.
Compared to the same period of the previous year, in the seven months of the year, the cereals, pulses, oilseeds and associated product exports recorded a 31.4% increase, followed by fruit and vegetable products with 20.9%, dried fruit products with 9.8%, aquaculture and animal products with 32.1%, and furniture, paper and forestry products with 27.3%.
The highest demand for the sectors that broke records in exports in the agriculture group came from Iraq. The Middle Eastern country thus maintained its leading market position in Turkey’s agricultural exports.
Cereals, pulses, oilseeds and the exports of their products to Iraq totaled $1.3 billion, while aquaculture and animal products amounted to $455.1 million, and furniture, paper and forestry products amounted to $553.2 million.
Meanwhile, Turkey's industrial exports also reached the highest January-July figure of all time with $107.7 billion.
The foreign sales of the industrial sector increased by 17.5% in the seven months of the year compared to the same period of the previous year.
The share of Turkey's industry exports in total exports was 74.6%.
The highest demand for the sectors that broke the export record within the industry came from Germany.
In the first half of the year, leather and leather products worth $97.9 million were sold to Germany, followed by machinery and accessories with $577.4 million, ferrous and non-ferrous metals with $1.3 billion, the air conditioning industry with 405.4 million and ready-made clothing and apparel with $2.2 billion.
