Türkiye’s foreign trade data for August reveals a nuanced picture, with slight declines in monthly exports and imports, while year-to-date figures indicate continued growth in trade volumes.

The data, compiled jointly by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) and the Ministry of Trade, provides insights into the country’s trade performance by sector, partner countries, and product categories.

According to the general trade system, Türkiye’s exports in August 2025 totaled $21.73 billion, reflecting a 1.2% decrease compared with August 2024. Imports fell by 3.9% to $25.94 billion.

Excluding energy products and non-monetary gold, exports grew 0.9% to $20.3 billion, while imports declined 2.2% to $19.96 billion, generating a foreign trade surplus of $338 million in this category. Overall, the foreign trade deficit narrowed to $4.21 billion, down 15.8% from the same month last year, and exports covered 83.8% of imports, compared with 81.5% in August 2024.

The foreign trade volume for the month reached $40.26 billion, a slight 0.6% decrease from the previous year. Seasonally and calendar-adjusted data showed a 5.4% decline in exports and 4.8% decrease in imports compared with July 2025.

Between January and August 2025, Türkiye’s exports reached $178.02 billion, up 4.3%, while imports totaled $238.16 billion, increasing 5.6% over the same period in 2024. The foreign trade deficit rose 9.7% to $60.14 billion, with exports covering 74.7% of imports, slightly lower than 75.7% in the same period last year.

The special trade system showed similar trends, with August exports of $19.56 billion (down 1.4%) and imports of $24.61 billion (down 2.7%). The foreign trade deficit under this system was $5.05 billion, a 7.3% decrease, while exports covered 79.5% of imports. Year-to-date, exports totaled $161.51 billion (+4.6%), imports $222.77 billion (+6.2%), and the foreign trade deficit rose 10.4% to $61.26 billion.

Manufacturing industries continue to dominate exports, accounting for 94.9% in August 2025 and 94.5% for January–August. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing contributed 2.7% and 3.3% respectively, while mining and quarrying comprised 1.6% in both periods.

High-technology products represented 4.2% of manufacturing exports in August, slightly up from 3.7% year-to-date. On the import side, manufacturing products made up 82.3% in August, with high-technology imports accounting for 11.4%.

Intermediate goods dominated imports at 68.3%, followed by consumption goods (16.5%) and capital goods (14.9%) in August. The ratios remained largely consistent in the January–August period.

Germany remained Türkiye’s top export partner, receiving $1.77 billion in August and $14.65 billion year-to-date. Other major export destinations included the USA, United Kingdom, Italy, and Iraq, collectively accounting for 28.3% of exports in August and 29.6% year-to-date.

On the import side, China led, supplying $3.9 billion in August and $32.49 billion January–August, followed by Russia, Germany, USA, and Italy, making up 45.8% of imports in August and 43.2% year-to-date.

Despite the slight month-on-month declines in exports and imports in August, Türkiye’s year-to-date trade volumes continue to grow, supported by strong manufacturing exports. The narrowing of the foreign trade deficit in August contrasts with a yearly increase, reflecting fluctuations in global demand, energy prices, and import needs.

Economists note that while high-tech exports remain a small share of total manufacturing exports, Türkiye’s export diversification and strong trade relations with European and Asian partners support ongoing resilience in its foreign trade performance. (ILKHA)