From a continental perspective, 57% of Turkish exports by value are delivered to European countries while 24.9% are sold to Asian importers. Turkey ships another 8.4% worth of goods to Africa and 6.1% to North American customers. A much smaller percentage of Turkish exports arrived in Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Given Turkey’s population of 81.3 million people, its total $168 billion in 2018 exports translates to roughly $2,100 for every resident in the Middle Eastern country.
In macroeconomic terms, Turkey’s total exported goods represent 7.3% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2018 ($2.293 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 7.3% for exports to overall GDP per PPP in 2018 compares to 9.4% for 2014, seeming to indicate a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Turkey’s total economic performance. And while this article focuses on exported goods, it is interesting to note that Turkey also provided $48.8 billion worth of exports-related services to global customers for an additional 2.1% of GDP in PPP.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Turkey’s unemployment rate was 14.1% as of April 2019 up from 9.6% one year earlier, according to Trading Economics.
Turkey’s Top 10 Exports
Top 10
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Turkish global shipments during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Turkey.
- Vehicles: US$26.8 billion (15.9% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $15.8 billion (9.4%)
- Iron, steel: $11.6 billion (6.9%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $9.1 billion (5.4%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $8.7 billion (5.2%)
- Gems, precious metals: $7.2 billion (4.3%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $6.5 billion (3.9%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $6.3 billion (3.7%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $6 billion (3.6%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $4.4 billion (2.6%)
Turkey’s top 10 exports accounted for three-fifths (60.9%) of the overall value of its global shipments.
The iron and steel metals category was the fastest-growing among Turkey’s top 10 export categories via its 40.6% increase from 2017 to 2018.
Lagging in second place were actual exported goods made from iron or steel, up 16.9%.
Exported machinery including computers posted the third-fastest gain in value up 14.5%, trailed by exported Turkish vehicles which improved 11.8%.
Only one top product category declined namely gems and precious metals which dropped -10.7% year over year, thanks mainly to diminished international sales of gold.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Turkey’s Most Valuable Export Products further down below.
Advantages
The following types of Turkish product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Vehicles: US$12.9 billion (Up by 97.5% since 2017)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $8.4 billion (Up by 4.1%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $5.2 billion (Up by 12.9%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $3.7 billion (Up by 40.9%)
- Fruits, nuts: $3.4 billion (Up by 0.8%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $2.3 billion (Up by 26.2%)
- Textile floor coverings: $2.2 billion (Up by 5.2%)
- Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $2.1 billion (Down by -1.2%)
- Miscellaneous textiles, worn clothing: $1.9 billion (Up by 3.3%)
- Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $1.8 billion (Up by 2.1%)
Turkey has highly positive net exports in the international trade of cars, trucks and tractors. In turn, these cashflows indicate Turkey’s strong competitive advantages under the knit or crochet clothing product categories.
Opportunities
Overall Turkey posted a -$55 billion deficit on all products for 2018. That amount is a -28.4% reduction from the -$76.8 billion in red ink one year earlier.
Below are exports from Turkey that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Turkey’s goods trail Turkish importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$38.6 billion (Up by 17.3% since 2017)
- Machinery including computers: -$9.9 billion (Down by -25.5%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$7.8 billion (Down by -40%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: -$6.9 billion (Down by -11.5%)
- Iron, steel: -$6.8 billion (Down by -20%)
- Gems, precious metals: -$5.4 billion (Down by -18%)
- Organic chemicals: -$5.3 billion (Up by 12.9%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$3.8 billion (Down by -8.8%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$3.2 billion (Down by -10.7%)
- Cereals: -$1.9 billion (Up by 21.3%)
Turkey has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels including oil category, and in particular for processed petroleum oils, coal and petroleum gases.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Turkey’s competitive disadvantages in the international fossil fuel market, but also represent key opportunities for Turkey to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.
Companies
Turkish Export Companies
Based on Forbes Global 2000 rankings, the following companies are examples of leading Turkish companies:
- Koç Group (industrial conglomerate)
- Sabanci Holding (automotive, banking)
- Turkcell (mobile phones)
- Enka (construction services)
- Anadolu Efes (brewery, non-alcoholic drinks)
Global trade intelligence firm Zepol lists the following firms exporting from Turkey:
- Anadolu Dokum San (cast iron/steel articles)
- Cevikler Dis Ticaret (monumental/building stone)
- Evimteks Dis Tic Ve Paz (woven fabrics, facial tissues)
- MCE Cargo (steam condensers, plywood)
- Ulus Metal San Ve Tic (chain sprockets, transmission components, auto parts)
Turkey’s capital city is Ankara.
Searchable List of Turkey’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, Turkey’s top export products are cars followed by gold, trucks then jewelry.
The following searchable table displays 200 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Turkey during 2018. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2017.
| Rank | Turkey's Export Product | 2018 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $12.4 billion | +5.3% |
| 2 | Trucks | $5.3 billion | +10.1% |
| 3 | Automobile parts/accessories | $4.5 billion | +10.3% |
| 4 | Jewelry | $4.4 billion | +6.7% |
| 5 | Processed petroleum oils | $3.7 billion | +1.7% |
| 6 | Iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods | $3.4 billion | +30.3% |
| 7 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $2.8 billion | -2.6% |
| 8 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2.7 billion | +11% |
| 9 | Gold (unwrought) | $2.6 billion | -60.8% |
| 10 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $2.4 billion | +69.2% |
| 11 | Insulated wire/cable | $2.1 billion | +11.5% |
| 12 | Refrigerators, freezers | $2 billion | +9.3% |
| 13 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $1.9 billion | +7.7% |
| 14 | Textile floor coverings, carpets | $1.9 billion | +3.6% |
| 15 | Public-transport vehicles | $1.8 billion | +10.8% |
| 16 | Piston engine parts | $1.6 billion | -2.5% |
| 17 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $1.5 billion | +1.3% |
| 18 | Miscellaneous furniture | $1.5 billion | +14.1% |
| 19 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $1.5 billion | +3.4% |
| 20 | Rubber tires (new) | $1.4 billion | +20.2% |
| 21 | Tractors | $1.3 billion | +75.6% |
| 22 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $1.3 billion | +9.9% |
| 23 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $1.2 billion | +6.7% |
| 24 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $1.2 billion | +15.9% |
| 25 | Linens | $1.2 billion | -1.5% |
| 26 | Miscellaneous nuts | $1.2 billion | -8.6% |
| 27 | Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections | $1.1 billion | +42.1% |
| 28 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1.1 billion | +12.4% |
| 29 | Stockings, hosiery (knit or crochet) | $1.1 billion | +2.2% |
| 30 | Washing machines | $1.1 billion | +7.6% |
| 31 | Coiled iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods | $1 billion | +60% |
| 32 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $1 billion | +11.2% |
| 33 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $1 billion | +42.2% |
| 34 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $1 billion | +13.5% |
| 35 | Wheat or meslin flour | $1 billion | -4.1% |
| 36 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $1 billion | +6.4% |
| 37 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $956.3 million | +12.5% |
| 38 | Monument/building stones including marble | $944.3 million | -14.4% |
| 39 | Monument/building stones, art | $942.2 million | +1.7% |
| 40 | Fresh or dried citrus fruit | $890.3 million | +4.4% |
| 41 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $857.5 million | +12.1% |
| 42 | Other than warp-knit fabrics | $825.1 million | -0.4% |
| 43 | Aluminum bars/rods | $824.2 million | +22.2% |
| 44 | Synthetic yarn woven fabrics | $804.6 million | -1.5% |
| 45 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $766 million | +19.1% |
| 46 | Electrical converters/power units | $736.8 million | +1.2% |
| 47 | Miscellaneous preserved fruits | $726.1 million | -4.6% |
| 48 | Sanitary towels, baby napkins/liners | $719.2 million | +3.5% |
| 49 | Carbonates, percarbonates | $718.4 million | +70.5% |
| 50 | Women's shirts (not knit or crochet) | $702.7 million | +0.7% |
| 51 | Medication mixes in dosage | $702.6 million | +8.3% |
| 52 | Synthetic filament yarn | $673.8 million | +11.3% |
| 53 | Aircraft parts | $653.4 million | -0.3% |
| 54 | Vulcanized rubber items | $650.1 million | -2.3% |
| 55 | Trailers | $641.9 million | +45.3% |
| 56 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $637.7 million | +21.4% |
| 57 | Hydraulic cements | $614.3 million | +15.8% |
| 58 | Grapes (fresh or dried) | $611.3 million | +1.3% |
| 59 | Unglazed ceramic flags, tiles | $597.8 million | +8.4% |
| 60 | Coated/laminated non-wovens | $592.7 million | +23.8% |
| 61 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $585.5 million | +16.2% |
| 62 | Copper wire | $584.1 million | +22.7% |
| 63 | Yarn wash/clean/iron machines | $576.6 million | +25.8% |
| 64 | Poultry meat | $568.5 million | +8% |
| 65 | Men's shirts (not knit or crochet) | $568.2 million | +2.6% |
| 66 | Pasta, couscous | $552.8 million | +12.7% |
| 67 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $551.3 million | +5.5% |
| 68 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $542.9 million | +22.3% |
| 69 | Central heating boilers | $527.8 million | +15.2% |
| 70 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $523.9 million | +11.3% |
| 71 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $523.3 million | +8.3% |
| 72 | Vulcanized rubber tubes, pipes | $506.3 million | +21.3% |
| 73 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $504.6 million | +10.1% |
| 74 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $502.3 million | -26.2% |
| 75 | Yarn (85%+ cotton) | $502.3 million | +16.6% |
| 76 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $495.5 million | +7% |
| 77 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $490.6 million | +6.3% |
| 78 | Machinery parts | $486.7 million | +15.3% |
| 79 | Whole fish (fresh) | $472.2 million | +7.6% |
| 80 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $470.3 million | +28.7% |
| 81 | Turbo-jets | $470 million | +27.1% |
| 82 | Wide knit or crochet fabrics | $469.5 million | -3.5% |
| 83 | Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished) | $469.1 million | +34.1% |
| 84 | Cigars/cigarellos, cigarettes | $468.8 million | -2.3% |
| 85 | Women's blouses, shirts | $467.1 million | +0.5% |
| 86 | Central heating radiators | $457.6 million | +7.3% |
| 87 | Uninsulated copper wire, cables | $450 million | +13.2% |
| 88 | Woven fabrics (85%+ cotton) | $449.1 million | -8.1% |
| 89 | Zinc ores, concentrates | $448.7 million | +15.6% |
| 90 | Sugar confectionery (no cocoa) | $446.3 million | -2.3% |
| 91 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $441.6 million | +20.5% |
| 92 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $440 million | +10.6% |
| 93 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $438.7 million | +5.5% |
| 94 | Plastic tableware, kitchenware, toiletry | $437.5 million | +9.7% |
| 95 | Air or vacuum pumps | $433.8 million | +16% |
| 96 | Birds' eggs in shell | $430.3 million | +14.4% |
| 97 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $427.8 million | +13.5% |
| 98 | Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil | $423 million | -23.2% |
| 99 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $415.6 million | -0.5% |
| 100 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $413.6 million | +30.1% |
| 101 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $409.5 million | +25.6% |
| 102 | Footwear (leather) | $404.9 million | +23.8% |
| 103 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $393.8 million | +140.5% |
| 104 | Other food preparations | $389.5 million | +11.8% |
| 105 | Electric storage batteries | $386.8 million | +29.5% |
| 106 | Men's suits,trousers (knit or crochet) | $385.2 million | +8.3% |
| 107 | Miscellaneous machinery | $383.3 million | +11% |
| 108 | Unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco waste | $382.9 million | +9.5% |
| 109 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $376.5 million | +7.3% |
| 110 | Household/sanitary rolls | $362.7 million | +15.5% |
| 111 | Packing sacks, bags | $357.8 million | +5.9% |
| 112 | Ligneous fiberboard including wood | $353.2 million | +1.8% |
| 113 | Iron and steel stoves, barbecues | $352.3 million | +1.8% |
| 114 | Organic surface-active goods, soap | $350 million | -2.1% |
| 115 | Dried shelled vegetables | $343.8 million | +15.1% |
| 116 | Iron and steel tubes, pipes | $333.1 million | +168% |
| 117 | Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $332.6 million | +22.1% |
| 118 | Machine-tool for metal | $327.2 million | +15.8% |
| 119 | Glassware | $325.8 million | -3.8% |
| 120 | Air conditioners | $318.1 million | +54.1% |
| 121 | Apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums | $312 million | +5.1% |
| 122 | Engines (diesel) | $309.6 million | +50.7% |
| 123 | Chromium ores, concentrates | $306.5 million | -11.1% |
| 124 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $300.6 million | -2% |
| 125 | Piston engines | $299.8 million | +0% |
| 126 | Tufted carpets/textile floor coverings | $299.7 million | +15.1% |
| 127 | Iron or non-alloy steel wire | $297.6 million | +74.5% |
| 128 | Monofilament, rods, sticks, profiles | $295.8 million | +9.9% |
| 129 | Tomatoes (fresh/chilled) | $290 million | -0.1% |
| 130 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $281 million | +9.5% |
| 131 | Dried fruit | $281 million | -3.7% |
| 132 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $279.4 million | +29.4% |
| 133 | Synthetic staple fiber yarn | $279 million | -15.2% |
| 134 | Miscellaneous aluminum items | $277 million | -1.9% |
| 135 | Borates, concentrates | $275.4 million | +3.9% |
| 136 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $265.6 million | +100.2% |
| 137 | Cleaning/sorting/grading machines | $265 million | +0% |
| 138 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $264.1 million | -70% |
| 139 | Moulding boxes/base | $261.7 million | +1.4% |
| 140 | Ceramic sinks, washbasins | $258.5 million | +12% |
| 141 | Miscellaneous cast iron or steel items | $253.6 million | +28.5% |
| 142 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $252.9 million | +15.9% |
| 143 | Women's underwear, pajamas (knit or crochet) | $252.7 million | +4.6% |
| 144 | Iron and steel tables, household items | $252.3 million | +7.8% |
| 145 | Temperature-change machines | $251 million | +14.9% |
| 146 | Woven fabrics | $250 million | +9.6% |
| 147 | Woven cotton fabrics | $249.3 million | +0.1% |
| 148 | Men's shirts (knit or crochet) | $245.7 million | -0.1% |
| 149 | Plastic builders' items | $242.3 million | +10.8% |
| 150 | Acrylic polymers | $241.2 million | +16% |
| 151 | Olive oil | $239.7 million | +19.6% |
| 152 | Vinegar-preserved vegetables, fruits, nuts | $236.1 million | +1.5% |
| 153 | Bridge structures, parts | $234.1 million | +7.8% |
| 154 | Alloy steel bars, rods | $234 million | +41.7% |
| 155 | Artificial staple fibers woven fabrics | $233.1 million | +29.8% |
| 156 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $232.1 million | +0% |
| 157 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $227.2 million | +11.2% |
| 158 | Jams, jellies, marmalades, purées | $227 million | -11.8% |
| 159 | Lifting/loading machinery | $223 million | +26.4% |
| 160 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $222.3 million | +26.5% |
| 161 | Iron ferroalloys | $219.2 million | -11.7% |
| 162 | Iron or steel scrap | $218.8 million | +15.7% |
| 163 | Safety glass | $216.3 million | +9.8% |
| 164 | Prefabricated buildings | $211.9 million | +26.2% |
| 165 | Yeasts, prepared baking powders | $211.6 million | +1.3% |
| 166 | Personal toilet/shaving preparations, deodorants | $211.1 million | +2.3% |
| 167 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $211.1 million | +24.8% |
| 168 | Glaze/graft putty, cement, filling | $207.1 million | +29.1% |
| 169 | Feldspar, leucite, nepheline | $206.9 million | +15% |
| 170 | Fish fillets, pieces | $205.9 million | +1.5% |
| 171 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (non-frozen) | $204.9 million | +12.5% |
| 172 | Uncoated paper | $204 million | +23.7% |
| 173 | Cellulose fiber paper | $203.5 million | -2.2% |
| 174 | Woven fabrics (mixed) | $200.7 million | +1.3% |
| 175 | Mattresses, quilts | $198.7 million | +18% |
| 176 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $197 million | +3.8% |
| 177 | Phone system devices | $195.3 million | -0.5% |
| 178 | Lead ores, concentrates | $194.5 million | +9.4% |
| 179 | Tomatoes (prepared/preserved) | $192.8 million | +6.1% |
| 180 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $192.5 million | +18.2% |
| 181 | Special purpose vehicles | $191.1 million | +77.4% |
| 182 | Electric generating sets, converters | $191 million | -6.6% |
| 183 | Warp knit fabrics | $190.1 million | -1.5% |
| 184 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $187.7 million | +24.3% |
| 185 | Man-made staple fiber yarn | $183.9 million | -5.1% |
| 186 | Infant clothing (knit or crochet) | $180.6 million | -0.3% |
| 187 | Particle board, other ligneous materials | $179.9 million | +30% |
| 188 | Cotton (uncarded, uncombed) | $178.6 million | +54.4% |
| 189 | Woven pile/chenille fabrics | $177.3 million | -2.4% |
| 190 | Women's singlets,pyjamas (not knit or crochet) | $176.9 million | -12.2% |
| 191 | Electric motor parts | $172.1 million | +74.4% |
| 192 | Aluminum household articles, sanitary ware | $171 million | +18.3% |
| 193 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $170.7 million | +19% |
| 194 | Copper plates, sheets, strips | $169.7 million | +32.3% |
| 195 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $169.3 million | -3.2% |
| 196 | Cheese, curd | $166.5 million | +8.4% |
| 197 | Industrial preparation machinery | $166.5 million | +18.4% |
| 198 | Footwear (textile) | $163.9 million | +17.7% |
| 199 | Hair preparations | $161.3 million | +3.6% |
| 200 | Electric motors, generators | $160.7 million | +9.7% |
These 200 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$140.4 billion or 83.5% by value for all products exported from Turkey during 2018.
See also Turkey’s Top 10 Imports and Turkey’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Forbes 2015 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on February 6, 2019
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 27, 2019
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 6, 2019
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on June 27, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on February 6, 2019
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on June 27, 2019
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Turkey. Accessed on February 6, 2019
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on June 27, 2019
World’s Richest Countries, Targeted research > Enriching insights > Global opportunities (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 27, 2019
Zepol’s Company summary highlights by country. Accessed on February 6, 2019