Turkish automotive exports surge 32 percent amid decline in total exports

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Turkish automotive exports surged 32 percent in the first two months of the year, the Automotive Manufacturers’ Association said in a statement on March 12.

From January to February 2015, auto exports reached 99,000, according to the statement.

The increase is a counter-trend to total Turkish exports, which saw a significant decline in the same period, the Turkish Exporters’ Association said March 11.

The Turkish Exporters’ Assembly on March 1 announced that, for the same period, total exports dropped to $22.8 billion, a 6.7 percent decline from the same period of the previous year.

“Tofaş, which recently contracted for exports to the U.S., increasing production at Oyak Renault, Ford Otosan and Hyundai, have boosted exports so far this year,” association coordinator Mucahit Sevim said.

“Most probably we will see similar annual growth for the sector,” he added.

Turkey manufactured one out of every 77 motor vehicles in the world in 2014, according to figures released this week by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.