Tüzmen underlined that although Turkey’s export share in European Union markets had decreased, exports to neighboring countries had increased. Exports were up 36.4 percent in September compared to the same month last year, reaching $12.2 billion, the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) announced yesterday. According to a written statement issued by TİM, Turkey’s exports between January and September increased by 35.4 percent over the same period last year, reaching $102.5 billion. Between September 2007 and September 2008, Turkey’s exports totaled $1,332.8 billion. The iron and steel manufacturing industry saw the biggest export increase, 162 percent, and was followed by the chemical components sector, whose exports increased by 58 percent in September over the previous year. Turkey’s annual iron and steel exports amounted to $2.2 billion, followed by $2.1 billion of automotive exports and $1.3 billion garment and textiles exports. A full 86 percent of total Turkish exports in September came from the industrial sector ($10.5 billion) and 11.2 percent from the agricultural sector in the same period ($1.4 billion). Mining sector exports accounted for 2.8 percent of Turkey’s exports in September, reaching $334.5 million.
Also in September, a downturn was seen in certain areas, including the olive oil and industrial sector, compared to August. İstanbul Mineral and Metal Exporters Union (İMMİB) members exported the highest number of goods in September, bringing in $4.6 billion in revenue. The United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and France were the top five countries importing goods from Turkey.


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