Turkey’s automotive industry exports in March amounted to $2.7 billion. According to the statement made by the Uludag Automotive Industry Exporters’ Association (OIB), the automotive industry’s exports, which have been the leading sector of Turkey’s exports for 16 consecutive years, decreased by 6.7% to $2.7 billion in March. The share of the sector, which ranks second in the country’s exports, was 12%.
Exports of the “supply industry”, which constitutes the largest product group in March, increased by 11% to $1 billion 162 million, while exports of passenger cars decreased by 34% to $685 million, exports of motor vehicles for transporting goods decreased by 3% to $534 million, and bus-minibus-midibus exports increased by 27% to $124 million.
While there was a 9% increase in exports to Germany, the country to which the most exports in the supply industry, exports increased by 16% to France, 25% to the United States, 17% to the United Kingdom, and 51% to Spain, 21% to Poland and 22% to Romania, which are important markets. There was a 65% decrease in exports to Russia, 28% to Slovenia, and 40% to Egypt.
In passenger cars, exports decreased by 70% to France, 24% to Italy, 22% to Spain, 44% to Germany, 33% to the United Kingdom, 20% to Poland, and 38% to Belgium. There was a 10% increase in exports to Israel and 84% to Bulgaria.
In motor vehicles for transporting goods, exports increased by 18% to Italy, 24% to the United States, 15% to Spain, 17% to France, 40% to Romania, and 37% to Sweden.
In the bus-minibus-midibus product group, there was a 168% increase in exports to France, the country to which the most exports were made, 30% to Italy, another important market, a very high rate of export increase to Azerbaijan and Czechia, and a 39% decrease in exports to Germany. Exports of tow trucks, which are among other product groups, increased by 16% in March and amounted to $142 million.
5% DECREASE IN EXPORTS TO GERMANY
With a 5% decrease, $411 million were exported to Germany, which is the largest market on a country basis. Last month, $269 million were exported to the United Kingdom, with a decrease of 4%. In March, exports to Italy decreased by 2% and became $241 million. There was a 30% decrease in exports to France, 14% to Belgium, 67% to Poland, 31% to Egypt, 21% to Morocco, 68% to Russia. Exports increased by 13% to Israel, 133% to Czechia, and 27%to Denmark.
Exports to the European Union countries, which are the largest market on the basis of country group, decreased by 6% and became $1 billion 807 million in March. European Union countries received a 67% share of exports in March. There was also a 16% decrease in exports to African countries, a 50% decrease in exports to Commonwealth of Independent States countries, and a 16% increase in exports to Middle Eastern countries.
“THE EFFECT OF THE CHIP CRISIS STILL CONTINUES”
OIB Chairman of the Board Baran Celik, in his evaluation of the first-quarter figures, stated that there was a loss in exports in the sector.
Noting that there was an average export figure of $2.5 billion in the first three months, Celik said, “In the first quarter of this year, we have just left behind, there is a loss of $500 million in exports originating from the euro-dollar parity in the automotive industry. The effect of the chip crisis still continues. Parallel to this, in the first three months of the year, our automotive industry exports decreased by approximately 3% to $7.5 billion. Our average monthly automotive exports in the first three months is $2.5 billion.”
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz