Aegean Exporters' Associations Post USD 1.588 Billion in Exports in March

Aegean Export Associations (EİB) achieved USD 1.588 billion in exports in March. EİB's exports for the January-March 2025 period totaled USD 4.477 billion, while exports over the last 12 months reached USD 18.228 billion. Industrial exports rose 3 percent to USD 873 million in March, while agricultural exports reached USD 595 million.

The Aegean Iron and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters Association, with USD 248 million in exports, maintained its leading position with a 6 percent increase, while the Aegean Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Association came in second with USD 135 million in foreign exchange earnings, and the Aegean Mining Exporters Association ranked third with USD 120 million in exports, up 6 percent.

The Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association showed the largest growth in March, increasing exports by 47 percent to USD 46 million.

The Aegean Ready-Made Clothing and Apparel Exporters Association recorded USD 103 million in March exports, while the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association closed the month with USD 98 million in exports.

The Aegean Cereals, Legumes, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters Association achieved USD 95 million in exports, up 25 percent, while the Aegean Dried Fruit and Products Exporters Association recorded USD 95 million in exports, up 5 percent.

The Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association recorded USD 73 million in March exports.

The Aegean Tobacco Exporters Association brought exports to USD 58 million, while the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association reached USD 36 million.

The Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association earned USD 14 million in foreign exchange for Turkey.

Clear Signals Emerging on Turkey's Economic Competitiveness
Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator President of the Aegean Export Associations, said: "Recent developments in global trade dynamics are directly affecting Turkey's export performance and overall economic resilience. According to US President Trump's new tariff policies, Turkey appears more advantaged at 10 percent compared to the EU and China, but this is a temporary advantage that needs to be managed cautiously. Since Trump's policies are generally protectionist, this could turn into pressure in other areas in the long term. The hemorrhaging in our labor-intensive sectors is now more visible. The ready-made clothing sector is one of the most striking examples of this decline. According to March data, ready-made clothing, which has ranked in the top three in exports for many years, has slipped to fifth place in Turkey's overall exports.

This signals a structural rupture, not merely a temporary decline. High energy and raw material costs, a weak currency policy, rising labor expenses, and narrowing export markets are further burdening our sectors. A similar loss is occurring in agriculture. A few years ago, agricultural product exports had become a balancing factor compensating for the contraction in industrial products. However, today, due to the weak currency policy, the competitiveness of agricultural products has been seriously eroded. While input costs rise as they are tied to foreign currency, export revenues are being suppressed.

This presents an unsustainable situation for both producers and exporters. It is not possible to correct this picture through temporary currency increases or incentive mechanisms alone. To truly implement an export-oriented growth model, reducing production costs, encouraging investments that will increase productivity, and adopting predictable economic policies have become more critical than ever. Aligning the exchange rate with inflation at a compatible level stands among the priority steps to be taken in the coming period."