Türkiye expects its bilateral trade volume with the United States to reach between $42 billion and $43 billion by the end of 2026, with the figure projected to rise to $50 billion by the end of 2028, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said.

Bolat made the remarks during a visit to the TOBB Turkish Trade Center (TTM) in Chicago while attending meetings in the United States with an official delegation.

The minister said the United States, with a population of around 375 million and an annual import market worth approximately $3.3 trillion, offers significant opportunities for Turkish exporters. He added that the Chicago-based trade center plays an important role in helping Turkish companies expand their presence in the US market.

Chicago logistics hub supports Turkish exporters

Bolat said the facility has evolved beyond a conventional trade center and now operates under Türkiye's Overseas Logistics Distribution Networks (YLDA) programme, which was launched in 2022 to improve exporters' access to international supply and distribution chains.

He noted that five YLDA projects approved by the Ministry of Trade are currently active—three in Europe and two in the United States. The Chicago project, approved on 21 October 2022, transformed TOBB's existing trade center into a logistics and distribution hub serving Turkish exporters across North America.

Under the project, satellite warehouses have been planned in major commercial centres including Las Vegas, Tacoma, Kent, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Savannah, Dallas, New Jersey and Philadelphia, allowing Turkish products to be distributed more efficiently throughout the United States.

More than 165 firms benefit

According to Bolat, the Chicago-based YLDA provides Turkish companies with market research, business matching, company establishment services, legal and financial consultancy, as well as logistics and operational support.

The network also offers integrated warehousing, cargo handling, shipment consolidation and nationwide distribution services from a single logistics platform. Bolat said the system enables many Turkish products to reach customers within 24 hours, while reducing transportation costs and lowering warehousing expenses by up to 50 per cent.

He added that 165 Turkish companies have already benefited from the Chicago logistics network. More than 500 companies have received support over the past five years, including nearly 150 firms in the last year alone, to strengthen their exports to the US market.

Trade target of $50 billion

Bolat said trade and economic ties between Türkiye and the United States have continued to deepen, noting that bilateral trade reached $38.5 billion in 2025.

He expressed confidence that trade volume would increase by around 10 per cent to $42–43 billion by the end of 2026 before reaching the long-term target of $50 billion by the end of 2028.

The minister also announced that preparations are under way to establish a second Turkish Trade Center in the United States, aimed at further enhancing the competitiveness of Turkish companies in North America and expanding exports of Turkish goods and services.(ILKHA)