The Aegean Exporters’ Associations (EİB) showcased a strong performance in March 2025, raking in $1.588 billion in exports, according to figures released on Sunday.

The robust monthly haul bolstered a solid first quarter, with exports from January to March totaling $4.477 billion, and annual exports over the past 12 months climbing to $18.228 billion.

Industrial exports edged up by 3% to $873 million, while agricultural exports surged to $595 million. Leading the pack, the Aegean Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters’ Association posted $248 million, followed by the Aquaculture and Animal Products sector at $135 million, and the Mineral Exporters’ Association at $120 million—a 6% jump from last year. The standout performer was the Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, soaring 47% to claim the title of March’s fastest-growing sector.

Other industries, including ready-to-wear, fresh produce, dried fruits, cereals, furniture, tobacco, olives, and leather, also notched impressive figures. Yet, beneath the rosy numbers, EİB leaders sounded the alarm on lingering structural challenges threatening long-term gains.

EİB Coordinator President Jak Eskinazi highlighted a troubling slide in labor-intensive sectors, particularly ready-to-wear, which has tumbled from a top-three national ranking to fifth place. Calling it a “structural break,” Eskinazi pinned the decline on soaring energy and labor costs, a stifling low exchange rate policy, and a global market slowdown. “For sustainable growth, we need lower production costs, investments in productivity, and a stable, predictable economic framework,” he urged, stressing that the exchange rate must align with inflation to avoid deeper cracks in the system.

While Aegean exporters ride a wave of success, Eskinazi warned that without bold reforms, short-term wins could unravel amid these persistent structural woes. (ILKHA)