In October, Disinfectant Exports Reached Their Highest Level

Istanbul Chemical Substance and Product Exporters Association (İKMİB) data shows that exports of Covid-19 products in the chemical sector, comprising disinfectants, cologne, soap, pharmaceuticals and diagnostic kits, reached USD 258.6 million in the ten-month period this year, up 61.43 percent. During the ten-month period, diagnostic kits were exported the most, followed by soap, disinfectants, cologne and pharmaceuticals. October exports of Covid-19 products in the chemical sector reached USD 27.2 million. Year-on-year growth for these products in October was 50.26 percent. In October this year, disinfectant exports were highest, followed by diagnostic kits, soap, cologne and pharmaceuticals. Adil Pelister, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chemical Substance and Product Exporters Association (İKMİB), highlighted the substantial increase in exports of Covid-19 products such as pharmaceuticals, soap, cologne, disinfectants and diagnostic kits, which have been most needed due to the pandemic. Pelister made the following assessment: "Exports of disinfectants, cologne, soap, pharmaceuticals and diagnostic kits, which we call Covid-19 products in the chemical sector, totalled USD 27.2 million in October, up 50.26 percent. While total exports of Covid-19 products, including products from other sectors such as respiratory devices, masks and protective gowns, reached USD 706.7 million in the first ten months, Covid-19 product exports within the chemical sector reached USD 258.6 million with a 61.43 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Thus it accounted for 36.6 percent of the USD 706.7 million in exports of all Covid-19 products. Looking at the countries with the highest exports of these products during the January-October 2020 period, we see that the United States ranks first in disinfectant exports, Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan in diagnostic kit exports, Germany in cologne exports, Libya in soap exports and Italy in pharmaceutical exports. We expect exports of Covid-19 products to continue growing in the coming period."

Disinfectant Exports Highest in October

Disinfectant exports in the chemical sector were USD 8.013 million in October 2019, and increased to USD 10.217 million in October this year, up 27.50 percent. During the first ten months, disinfectant exports totalled USD 62.633 million. Diagnostic kit exports, in second place, reached USD 8.664 million in October this year, up 140.84 percent compared to the same period last year. Soap exports, in third place, increased 1.86 percent to USD 4.308 million in the same period, while cologne exports reached USD 2.83 million and pharmaceutical exports USD 1.23 million.

Cologne Exports Increased the Most

Cologne exports reached USD 2.83 million in October this year, up 214.29 percent, while during the first ten months they rose to USD 23.2 million, up 221.42 percent.

Diagnostic Kits Exported Most During January-October Period

Diagnostic kit exports within the chemical sector reached USD 89.238 million during the first ten months this year, growing 154.71 percent compared to the same period last year. Soap exports rose from USD 39 million in the ten months of last year to USD 70.4 million in the same period this year, representing growth of 80.43 percent.

Pharmaceutical Exports Up 18.82 Percent in Ten Months

Pharmaceutical exports declined 11.80 percent in October this year, while in the first ten months they increased 18.82 percent to reach USD 13 million.

United States Leads in Disinfectant Exports

In disinfectant exports during the January-October period this year, the United States ranked first with USD 9.3 million, followed by the United Kingdom with USD 5.1 million and the Czech Republic with USD 4.8 million. Romania, Senegal, Ukraine, Iraq, Turkmenistan, the Netherlands and Russia followed as the top ten countries. In October this year, the top ten countries were the Czech Republic, United States, United Kingdom, Romania, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Germany, Turkmenistan, Singapore and Senegal.

Diagnostic Kits Exported Most to Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan

During the first ten months this year, diagnostic kits were exported most to Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan at USD 18.6 million. Italy ranked second with USD 8.06 million, while Poland ranked third with USD 7.9 million. Iraq, Hong Kong, Libya, China, Northern Cyprus, Somalia and Germany followed Poland. Countries with the highest growth were Poland with a 2,626.07 percent increase, Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan with a 922.87 percent increase and Italy with a 716.04 percent increase. In October, Iraq, Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan, Italy, India, Hong Kong, Poland, the United Kingdom, North Macedonia, Northern Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates ranked in the top ten.

Cologne Exports to the Netherlands Up 588 Percent, to Germany Up 499 Percent

In cologne exports during the January-October period this year, the highest exports were to Germany with a 499.23 percent increase (USD 5.9 million), followed by the Netherlands in second place (USD 2.9 million and 588.10 percent increase) and Iraq in third place (USD 1.8 million and 259.95 percent increase). Iraq was followed by the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Belgium, Northern Cyprus and Iran. In October, the top ten countries were Germany, the Netherlands, Iraq, the United Kingdom, the United States, Kenya, Turkmenistan, Northern Cyprus, France and Kosovo.

Soap Exports to United Kingdom Up 3,958.22 Percent

In soap exports during the January-October period this year, Libya ranked first with a 706.56 percent increase and USD 7.05 million. Other countries in the top ten were respectively: Iraq (USD 5.8 million and 8.78 percent increase), the Netherlands (USD 4.4 million and 690 percent increase), Romania, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Germany, Iran, the United Kingdom and Israel. The largest increase in soap exports was to the United Kingdom at 3,958.22 percent, with exports rising from USD 0.58 million in the same period last year to USD 2.352 million in the same period this year. In October, Yemen, Iraq, Serbia, Iran, Israel, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Syria and Libya were our top soap export destinations.

Pharmaceutical Exports Went Most to Italy

Italy was the country with the highest pharmaceutical exports during the first ten months this year at USD 3.5 million. Spain ranked second with USD 2.6 million, while Ireland ranked third with USD 1.04 million. Ireland was followed by Germany, Canada, Portugal, the United States, Belarus, Jordan and Finland. In October, Spain, Portugal, Jordan, Finland, Morocco, Ireland, Panama, Northern Cyprus, Italy and Bulgaria were our top pharmaceutical export destinations.