Turkey's exports in March decline 35 percent to $7.1 bln year-on-year

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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"Turkey earned $7.1 billion from its exports in March 2009," chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi told a press conference, the Anatolian Agency reported.

 Turkey’s exports within the first three months of the year totaled $21.9 billion, said Buyukeksi. The country’s exports for the 12-month period rose 2.71 percent to nearly $117.2 billion, he added. 

 The TIM figures come almost a month ahead of official data, which they tend to match, Reuters reported. Official data showed on Tuesday that exports fell 24.9 percent to $8.3 billion in February.

Decline in Turkey's economy

Exports in the automotive industry, one of the leading sectors for the Turkish economy, also continued to fall for a sixth straight month, the Anatolian Agency reported citing the figures of a regional exporters' union.

Automotive exports plunged in the 53.8 percent in January-March period down to as low as $3.73 billion, as demand in European and Russian markets, the largest buyers for the Turkish automotive products, has continued to decline, the agency said.

Turkey made the most exports to France in the first three months of 2009 with $508 million, followed by Germany, Italy, Britain and Belgium.