Germany top market for exported local products

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Germany became Turkey’s biggest export market with around $5.359 billion worth of exports in the
first five months of 2013, according to the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) data.

Germany was followed by Iraq with $4.541 billion and the United Kingdom with $3.261 billion.

The TİM data highlights Turkey’s boosted efforts to diversify its export markets in a bid to unload its dependency on the European market, which has been a disappointing destination for exporters due to persisting recession and falling demand. Turkish goods went to 168 countries on five continents between January and May.

The government and businesspeople have been toiling to find new markets for Turkish goods, aiming to benefit from business trips abroad and the expanding network of Turkey’s flagship carrier Turkish Airlines.

The authorities’ strong emphasis on local design and production of goods was also a part of this aim.

However, European Union countries remained the top market for Turkish exporters, with seven countries present on the list: Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain and Netherlands.

The other three non-European countries were Russia, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

The top 10 countries accounted for $28.6 billion of Turkey’s exports, which is equivalent to 52 percent of the whole.