Turkey's exports in September increased by 8.9 percent to $11.33 billion compared to the same period last year, the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) said yesterday.

Exports reached $114.66 billion, an increase of 10.6 percent, since the beginning of the year, while they amounted to $153.24 billion, an increase of 9 percent, in the last 12 months.

According to data released by TİM, the automotive industry performed the best "as usual" with around $2.15 billion in exports, followed by ready-garments and apparel at $1.29 billion and chemicals and finished goods at $1.28 billion. The highest increase in exports in September was recorded in the ship and yacht industry with an annual increase of 420.9 percent.

In the industrial sector, which realized 82 percent of total exports last month, exports amounted to $9.3 billion, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to the same month of 2016.

In the same period, agriculture, which constituted 14.6 percent of total exports, increased by 6.9 percent to $1.65 billion, while mining, 3.3 percent of total exports, increased by 17.8 percent to $379.27 million.

Moreover, an increase in exports was recorded in 139 countries and regions in the same month. Among the top five exporting countries, exports to Germany saw an increase of 8.3 percent, while exports to the U.K., U.S., Italy and Iraq increased by 14, 36.5, 1.5 and 2.2 percent, respectively. Further, exports to Russia saw the highest increase among the top 20 exporting countries that month, increasing by 54 percent.

In September, Germany was the top export destination for Turkey with around $1.22 billion, followed by the U.K., Iraq, Italy and the U.S. Exports to the EU market, which had a share of around 51.6 percent in exports, increased by 10.2 percent.

Exports in national currency up by 128 percent in August

Meanwhile, exports in Turkish lira soared by 128 percent in August compared to the same month last year, reaching around $1.32 billion, while imports in the same currency rose by 39 percent in the same month, the Turkish Statistical Institute said Saturday.

Considering that exports made in Turkish lira stood at around $578.75 million in August last year, the usage of the currency in exports increased by 128 percent in one year.

Around $6.17 billion in total exports were carried out in euros, the national statistical body said.

Moreover, $421.92 million of total exports were made in pounds, $27.12 million in Polish zloty, $10.59 million in Canadian dollars, $9.37 million in Russian rubles, 5.32 in Swedish krona, $4.5 million in Czech koruna, $4.21 million in Australian dollars and $3.33 million in Swiss francs.

Imports in national currency rose by 39 percent, as imports of around $1.76 billion were carried out in Turkish lira.

Furthermore, $6.32 billion of total imports were made in euros, $157.19 million in Swiss francs, $74.68 million in pounds, $51.19 million in Japanese yens.