Year over year, the overall cost of goods imported into Türkiye rose 34% from $271.4 billion during 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, the Turkish lira depreciated by -83.3% against the US dollar since 2018 and fell by -26.3% from 2021 to 2022. Türkiye’s weaker local currency makes Turkish imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the Turkish lira.
Domestically, Türkiye’s inflation rate specific to average consumer prices spiked by 73.125% in 2022 up from the 19.596% inflation rate for 2021.
Among Türkiye’s costliest import products are processed petroleum oils, cars, jewelry, automobile parts or accessories, and trucks. Collectively, that quintet of leading imports represents 16.8% of Turkish import spending in 2022.
Türkiye’s Best Suppliers for Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 52.4% of products exported from Türkiye were bought by importers in: Germany (8.3% of the global total), United States of America (6.6%), Iraq (5.4%), United Kingdom (5.1%), Italy (4.9%), Spain (3.8%), France (also 3.8%), Russia (3.7%), Netherlands (3.2%), Israel (2.8%), Romania (2.7%) and Poland (2.2%).
Applying a continental lens, over half (54.9%) of Türkiye’s total imports by value in 2022 were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners supplied about a third (33.2%) of import sales to Türkiye while another 5.4% worth of goods originated from North America.
Smaller percentage shares came from Latin America (3.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.9%), then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia.
Given Türkiye’s population of 85.7 million in 2022, and the total $363.7 billion in import purchases, the per capita value of Turkish imports was about $4,200. That dollar amount exceeds an average $3,200 one year earlier in 2021.
Türkiye’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Türkiye’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Türkiye.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$96.5 billion (26.5% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $34.6 billion (9.5%)
- Iron, steel: $28.4 billion (7.8%)
- Gems, precious metals: $23.5 billion (6.4%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $21.5 billion (5.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $19 billion (5.2%)
- Vehicles: $17.7 billion (4.9%)
- Organic chemicals: $11.1 billion (3.1%)
- Aluminum: $7.7 billion (2.1%)
- Copper: $5.5 billion (1.5%)
Türkiye’s top 10 imports approached three-quarters (73%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Leading the gainers for Türkiye’s imported products from 2021 to 2022 were the gems and precious metals category (up 231.6%) propelled by greater revenues from purchased gold. In second place were imported mineral fuels including oil (up 90.5%), then organic chemicals (up 19%).
The most modest year-over-year increase was for Turkish imports of the metals iron and steel (up 2.7% from 2021).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the sections below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Türkiye’s Main Imports of Mineral Fuels
In 2022, Turkish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of fossil fuel-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$18.7 billion (up 88.3% from 2021)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $8.2 billion (up 100.4%)
- Petroleum gases: $2.4 billion (up 21.1%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $1.1 billion (up 62.4%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $624.7 million (up 23.2%)
- Electrical energy: $476.5 million (up 782.3%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $105.2 million (up 52.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $99.9 million (up 32.6%)
- Peat: $21.5 million (up 26.6%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $9 million (up 153.3%)
Among these import subcategories, Turkish purchases of electrical energy (up 782.3%), tar pitch and coke: (up 153.3%), then coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 100.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of fossil fuel-related imports among Turkish businesses and consumers.
Türkiye’s Main Imports of Machinery Products
In 2022, Turkish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$3 billion (up 4.3% from 2021)
- Engines (diesel): $2.8 billion (up 9%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1.8 billion (up 13.1%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.55 billion (up 19.4%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $1.47 billion (up 29.2%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $1.44 billion (up 2.6%)
- Piston engines: $1.3 billion (down -8.6%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $1.24 billion (up 7.1%)
- Turbo-jets: $1.17 billion (up 29.1%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $1.1 billion (up 20.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Turkish purchases of miscellaneous machinery (up 29.2%), turbo-jets (up 29.1%), then transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 20.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports among Turkish businesses and consumers.
Türkiye’s Main Imports of Iron and Steel
In 2022, Turkish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of iron and steel.
- Iron or steel scrap: US$9.7 billion (down -12.6% from 2021)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $4.3 billion (down -12.6%)
- Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished): $3.1 billion (up 10.5%)
- Flat-rolled other alloy steel products: $2.3 billion (up 33.5%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items: $2.2 billion (up 51.6%)
- Iron ferroalloys: $1.2 billion (up 34%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $990 million (up 26.5%)
- Pig iron: $802.5 million (up 18.7%)
- Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $707.2 million (down -9.2%)
- Alloy steel bars, rods: $490.6 million (up 39.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Turkish purchases of items made with flat-rolled stainless steel (up 51.6%), alloy steel bars or rods (up 39.8%), then iron ferroalloys (up 34%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported iron and steel among Turkish businesses and consumers.
Türkiye’s Main Imports of Gems and Precious Metals
In 2022, Turkish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of gems and precious metals.
- Gold (unwrought): US$20.4 billion (up 271.7% from 2021)
- Silver (unwrought): $1.5 billion (up 181.3%)
- Jewelry: $1.2 billion (up 48.6%)
- Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $184.4 million (up 38.3%)
- Imitation jewelry: $50.3 million (up 55.7%)
- Goldsmith/silversmith wares: $15 million (down -1.3%)
- Other precious metal items: $12 million (down -24.4%)
- Platinum (unwrought): $9.5 million (up 4.7%)
- Precious stone dust, powder: $8.6 million (up 7.6%)
- Natural pearl/precious stone items: $8.2 million (up 77.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Turkish purchases of gold (up 271.7%), silver (up 181.3%), then items made with natural pearl or precious stones (up 77.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported gems and precious metals among Turkish businesses and consumers.
See also Top Turkish Trade Balances, Türkiye’s Top 10 Exports and Türkiye’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on April 10, 2023
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on April 10, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 10, 2023
