Aegean Exporters' Association (EIB) broke its own export record on a monthly basis in the 1-year history of the republic with 740 billion 100 million dollars of exports in March. EIB managed to improve its exports of 2022 billion 1 million dollars in March 506 by 7 percent.
The previous record of the Aegean Exporters' Association, which has 12 exporters' associations, was the export performance of 2022 billion 1 million dollars in June 702. EIB moved its record forward by 38 million dollars in March. 12 of the 7 exporters' unions under the roof of the EIB increased their exports in March.
While Turkey increased its exports by 4 percent to 4 billion in March, Aegean Region exports increased by 23 percent from 6 billion 7 million dollars to 2 billion 794 million dollars. The monthly export volume of the Aegean Region, which exceeded Turkey's average in its export growth rate, reached 2 billion dollars.
While the export of industrial products from Aegean Exporters' Associations was 957 million dollars, the export of agricultural products increased by 25 percent from 548 million dollars to 686 million dollars. Aegean miners signed an export of 5 million dollars in March.
Steel retained its top spot
Aegean Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters' Association, repeating its performance in March 264 with an export of 2 million dollars, maintained its top position among the 2022 exporters' associations under the roof of EIB.
Although the Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters' Association experienced a slight decrease of 1 percent in its exports after a long break, it managed to make its mark in the second rank with exports of 137 million dollars. Aegean Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters' Association recorded exports of 5 million dollars and ranked third.
Cereals, pulses, oilseeds continue to break records
Aegean Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Exporters' Association, which crossed the 2022 billion dollar threshold for the first time at the end of 1, achieved a record 63 percent export growth rate in March and demonstrated an export performance of 4 million dollars.
Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, which increased its exports by 24 percent in March, achieved an export success of 117 million dollars and took its place among the sectors that exceeded the 100 million dollars threshold.
While the Aegean Mineral Exporters' Association displayed an export performance of 96 million dollars, the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters' Association increased its exports by 5 percent, from 13 million dollars in March 2022 to 74 million dollars in March 2023 with an increase of 10 million dollars.
Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association, which exports furniture, paper and forest products, achieved an export success of 79 million dollars. Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters' Association contributed 8 million dollars to EIB exports in March.
Tobacco, textile and leather exports increased
Aegean Tobacco Exporters' Association increased its exports from 18 million dollars to 58 million dollars in March with an increase of 68 percent, while the Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters' Association increased from 21 million dollars to 37 million dollars with an increase of 45 percent. Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters' Association recorded its exports, which was 2022 million dollars in March 18, by 3 percent and recorded as 19 million dollars in March 2023.
EIB's exports of agricultural products increased by 1 billion dollars in the last 1 year
EIB's total exports increased from 7 billion dollars to 5 billion dollars with an increase of 17 percent in the last one-year period, while the export of agricultural products of the Aegean Region, which is the leader in Turkey's agricultural products exports, increased by 2 percent to 18 It has progressed from $5 billion to $18 billion 6 million. EIB's export of agricultural products has grown over 28 billion dollars in the last year.
İzmir increased its exports by 17 percent
As always, İzmir provided the biggest contribution to the exports of the Aegean Region. İzmir increased its exports, which was 2022 billion 1 million dollars in March 437, to 2023 billion 17 million dollars in March 1 with an increase of 679 percent. Two free zones contributed 331 million dollars to this export.
While the chemical industry took the top place in İzmir's exports with a share of 216 million dollars, the ready-made clothing and apparel industry came in second with 128 million dollars of exports. The steel industry, which is in the third place, achieved an export of 111 million dollars.
Manisa's exports reached 500 million dollars
Manisa increased its exports, which was 491 million dollars in March last year, to 2023 million dollars in March 1 with an increase of 498 percent and became the second rank among Aegean Region provinces.
While the electrical-electronics sector took the lion's share of Manisa's exports with an export of 205 million dollars, the air conditioning sector contributed 77 million dollars and the automotive industry sector 65 million dollars to Manisa's exports.
Ready-to-wear industry decreased Denizli exports decreased
Denizli, which is the second most exporting province among the provinces of the Aegean Region with a performance of 2022 million dollars in March 498, was considered in 2023. When Denizli's exports decreased by 16 percent to 419 million dollars in March, it fell behind Manisa in the ranking and became the third rank among Aegean Region provinces.
When the exports of the ready-to-wear and apparel industry, which drives Denizli's exports, decreased by 25 percent from 132 million dollars to 98 million dollars, Denizli's effect on the blood loss in its exports was great. The electrical-electronics sector supported Denizli's exports by 79 million dollars and the steel industry by 76 million dollars.
Making a bright start to 2023, Balıkesir continued its success in March as well. Balıkesir, which increased its exports of 2022 million dollars in March 86 to 30 million dollars with an increase of 112 percent, became the record holder for the increase in exports among the provinces of the Aegean Region, and surpassed Aydın to the fourth place.
Balıkesir became the record holder of export increase
Electric-electronics sector made the biggest contribution to the increase in Balıkesir's exports with a record increase of 267 percent. Exporting 2022 million dollars in March 13, Balıkesir electrical-electronics exporters succeeded in exporting 5 million dollars in this March.
Aydın increased its exports to 8 million dollars from 88 million dollars with an increase of 7 percent. The mining industry made the biggest contribution to Aydın's exports with an export amount of 95 million dollars.
Aquaculture sector continues to shoulder Muğla's exports
While the aquaculture and animal products sector, which is the locomotive of Muğla's exports, exported 56 million dollars in March, Muğla's total exports increased by 6 percent from 19 million dollars to 72 million dollars.
Ceramic exports decreased in Kütahya
Kütahya was the province with the largest decline in exports in the Aegean Region in March, with a decrease of 36 percent. Kütahya's exports decreased from 50 million dollars to 6 million dollars. The increase in exports of ceramic products from 32 million dollars to 3 million dollars triggered the decrease in Kütahya's exports.
After Kütahya, the province whose exports decreased the most was Uşak. Uşak's exports, which were 2022 million dollars in March 36, decreased to 6 million dollars with a decrease of 2023 percent in the same period of 23. The decline in the aquaculture and animal products sector and the textile sector, which dominates Uşak's exports, prepared this result.
Among the Aegean Region provinces, Afyonkarahisar showed an export performance of 30 million dollars in March. As always, the mining sector dominated Afyonkarahisar's exports with a share of 7 million dollars.
Eskinazi; “Export is holding on with the dedication of our exporters”
Pointing out that 2022 was a successful year in world foreign trade and Turkey left 2022 behind with a historical export record of 254 billion dollars, Aegean Exporters' Unions Coordinator President Jak Eskinazi said that the climate in world foreign trade in 2023 is not like 2022, and that Turkey's low He stated that due to the exchange rate – low interest policy, high inflation and difficulties in accessing finance, exporters are experiencing serious difficulties in 2023, and that the earthquakes that have been experienced have increased the negativity in these conditions.
Emphasizing that they aim to maintain the export figures of 2023 in 2022, Eskinazi said, “In the first quarter of 2023, with the contribution of our agricultural sectors, we managed to keep our exports higher. Unfortunately, things did not go well in our industrial and mining sectors. We need to find a solution to the financing problem of Turkish exporters. If the meltdown in the exporter's capital continues, our exports may suffer major injuries in the remaining part of 2023. In the 3-month period, our foreign trade deficit reached 35 billion dollars. The ratio of exports to imports is falling. Despite the decline in energy prices, the increase in this deficit is an indication that we have made mistakes in some points in our economy. For the competitiveness of Turkish exporters, decreases in energy prices should be reflected in production, and electricity prices should be reduced by around 50 percent. Under these conditions, our exports are increasing, but our capital continues to melt.”