Türkiye's exports grew by nearly 22% in a record-breaking June, as trade rebounded despite geopolitical tensions led by the Iran war and volatility in global commodities, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said Friday.
Outbound shipments rose by 21.9% compared to the same month last year, reaching $24.94 billion (TL 1.17 trillion), Bolat told a press conference in Istanbul.
"June went down in the records as a spectacular month for exports. We reached almost $25 billion in monthly exports. This is a record for the month of June," he said.
It also marked the third-highest monthly figure ever recorded after $26.4 billion in December 2025 and $25.4 billion this April, he added.
Imports rose 23.1% to $35.32 billion, meaning the foreign trade deficit was up by 26.3% from a year ago to $10.38 billion.
"Imports in June also marked the second-highest monthly import figure on record," said Bolat.
Exports in the first six months rose 3.6% from a year earlier to $136.1 billion, while imports increased 4.6% to $189.2 billion, he noted. The trade deficit rose 7.4% to nearly $53.1 billion.
Türiye Exporters Assembly (TIM) head Mustafa Gültepe said, despite the challenges, the overall picture for the first six months showed "Turkish exporters are not giving up on producing, seeking new markets, and bringing foreign currency into the country."
The war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Iran on Feb. 28 halted shipments and sent energy prices up sharply due to the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The pressures have eased somewhat after the U.S. and Iran announced an interim agreement two weeks ago, but there are no signs yet that they have made headway toward a lasting peace.
Though traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has partially resumed, the status of the key waterway remains unclear.
Meanwhile, Türkiye's rolling 12-month exports climbed to a record $278 billion. Imports climbed to $373.7 billion.
That took Türkiye's total annual foreign trade volume to nearly $652 billion, an increase of $29 billion compared with the previous year.
Bolat said the annualized trade deficit stood at $95.8 billion as of the end of June, compared with $92.2 billion at the end of 2025.
He noted that exports performed strongly despite rising petrochemical and freight rates due to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
"We've had a very difficult year, and it's still ongoing ... The period from March to May, the spread of the U.S.-Iran conflict to Gulf countries and the resulting sharp increases in petrochemical and logistics costs; a grueling half-year is being left behind," said the minister.
Bolat also said annualized goods and services exports exceeded $400 billion for the first time ever, reaching $400.3 billion.
"We have already increased annual exports by $4.7 billion in the first six months. Our year-end target is $282 billion, and we expect to exceed it," he said.
Friday's data showed the automotive industry ranked first in exports with $3.8 billion, followed by the chemicals and chemical products with $3.3 billion, the steel industry with $1.75 billion, the electrical and electronics sector with $1.66 billion and the ready-to-wear and apparel products with $1.4 billion.
TIM's Gültepe said the exchange rate had negatively impacted exports for the first time in more than a year.
"For the first time in exactly 14 months, we suffered an exchange rate-related loss of approximately $12 million."
With growing hopes for peace, Gültepe said there is a positive trend in exports to Gulf countries.
"In June, our exports to these countries rose by 41% to $2.64 billion. The trend in our exports to all countries in the region has turned positive," he said.
Exporters expect an even more positive trend in exports to the Gulf in the second half of the year if lasting peace is achieved, he added.
