Turkish exports set record-breaking rise

Turkey's export industry set a record-breaking, 18.2 percent rise between December 2010 and December 2011 to reach $134.6 billion, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said yesterday. "First, these exports figures have broken a [republican] record. Second, Turkey has surpassed its $132 billion export record in 2008, taking it back to pre-crisis levels," Caglayan said at a Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) meeting in Ankara. In nine years, Turkey has increased its exports 3.7 times from $36 billion to $134 billion, he said. Fifteen Turkish provinces posted export figures in excess of $1 billion in 2011 while 38 provinces broke their export records, he said. "December's was the highest export figure recorded in the last 37 months." Exports for December 2011 went up by 4.5 percent, reaching $12.1 billion compared to the same month last year, according to data released by TIM. Of Turkey's total exports in December, $1.2 billion went to Germany, $935 million to Iraq, $660 million to the United Kingdom, $567 million to the United States and $551 million to France. Turkey also sent a significant number of exports to Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Malta and China. The automotive sector was the winner with the highest December figures at $1.8 billion. Auto sector exports primarily went to Germany and Iraq. The automotive sector was followed by the steel and iron industry with an 11.8 percent increase from November, bringing the export level to $1.4 billion. Looking at 2011 as a whole, the automotive sector was again the export leader. Chemical products came in second, the retail sector was third and the iron and steel sector was fourth.