According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly, Turkey achieved 262 billion dollars in exports in 2024, marking a 2.5% increase. The automotive sector was the export champion with 37.2 billion dollars, while chemical products followed in second place with 30.8 billion dollars. Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Plastic Manufacturers Federation, stated that in the product groups of chemicals and their derivatives, plastics and their products were the export leaders, with a total export value of 9.5 billion dollars in 2024.
The export data for 2024 was announced during a meeting attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul. The automotive sector made the highest contribution to the total export value of 262 billion dollars reached in 2024. While automotive led with 37 billion dollars, chemicals followed with 30.8 billion dollars, and ready-to-wear and apparel ranked third with 17.9 billion dollars.
According to İKMİB data, plastics and their products were in the first place in the chemical materials and products product group, with an export value of 9.447 billion dollars. Mineral fuels and products came in second with 7.850 billion dollars, while inorganic chemicals from the chemical sector ranked third with 2.753 billion dollars. Other sectors that followed within the top 10 included volatile oils, cosmetics, and soaps at 2.091 billion dollars; rubber and rubber goods at 1.589 billion dollars; pharmaceuticals at 1.555 billion dollars; paints, varnishes, inks, and intermediates at 1.525 billion dollars; miscellaneous chemicals at 1.230 billion dollars; washing agents at 910 million dollars; and organic chemicals at 760 million dollars.
The plastic industry, which serves 35 sectors indirectly, creates added value for the Turkish economy.
“Plastic exports are growing”
Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Plastic Manufacturers Federation, stated that Turkey's exports reached 262 billion dollars in 2024, reflecting a 2.5% increase compared to the previous year, highlighting that this was the highest export figure in the history of the Republic despite the global contraction. Noting that with exports exceeding 30 billion dollars, the chemical sector is Turkey's second-largest exporter, Karadeniz revealed that the plastic industry provided the largest support. He reported that the sector achieved 9.5 billion dollars in exports in 2024, marking a 7% growth compared to the previous year. Karadeniz emphasized that the plastic sector grew significantly above Turkey's 2.5% export growth rate, generating added value.
Global conflicts are affecting trade
In a time when the manufacturing industry is declining, the chairman of the umbrella organization PLASFED expressed that labor-intensive sectors are struggling to maintain prices due to high costs, noting that regional wars, conflicts, and macro imbalances negatively affect trade. Despite all this uncertainty, Karadeniz explained that both the national and plastic industry exports performed well, and he indicated that resolving these issues would lead to an increase in export capacity.
Karadeniz mentioned that exports are a crucial trade activity positively impacting a country's economic growth, international relations, and the competitiveness of businesses, stating, “The importance given to exports is increasing for businesses to compete in the global market and for countries to enhance their economic welfare. Thus, understanding the functioning of exports better and taking correct steps in this area is critical for businesses and countries.”
Translated by Artificial Intelligence
