Istanbul, Kocaeli have lion’s share in chemicals exports

ISTANBUL- Anadolu Agency

Two Turkish provinces, Istanbul and Kocaeli, provided some 70 percent of the country’s $8.7 billion worth of chemicals exports in the first five months of the year.

According to data from the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly, chemicals and chemical products shipments recorded a 24.5 percent increase on an annual basis in January-May.

The chemicals industry was the second largest exporting sector after automotive.

The chemicals industry’s share in the country’s overall exports was 11.3 percent in January-May whereas the automotive sector’s shipments amounted to $13 billion which accounted for 17 percent of Turkey’s total export revenues.

In May alone, chemicals and chemical products exports stood at $1.94 billion, pointing to a 33 percent from a year ago.

Chemicals exports from Istanbul-based companies amounted to $3.98 billion, the highest figure among all provinces, in the first five months of the year. Chemicals shipments to foreign countries showed a 25 percent increase in January-May, according to data.

Exports from the northwestern province of Kocaeli, which is home to large companies, such as refiner Tüpraş, chemicals company Hayat Kimya and tire manufacturers Brisa and Pirelli, soared 62 percent on an annual basis to stand at $2.12 billion.

İzmir, which hosts companies that produce oil and oil products, detergents, soap, paints, and chemicals used in drug production, came third with a total of $669 million worth of chemicals exports.

Chemicals exports from the capital Ankara and the southeastern province of Gaziantep in the first five months of the year amounted to $486 million and $355 million, respectively.