Record export statement from Mehmet Şimşek

Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek evaluated the foreign trade data for April via his social media account. Minister Şimşek announced that exports increased by 22.3 percent on an annual basis with the support of the calendar effect, while the increase in imports remained limited at 3.1 percent.

Looking at the provisional foreign trade statistics for March, there was a notable increase in the foreign trade deficit. According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) and the Ministry of Trade, the foreign trade deficit in March 2026 grew by 56 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, rising from 7.2 billion dollars to 11.2 billion dollars.

While the export-to-import coverage ratio was recorded at 76.5 percent in March of last year, this ratio fell to 66.1 percent in March 2026. Between January and March, the foreign trade deficit increased by 27.5 percent to 28.7 billion dollars. In the same period, the export-to-import coverage ratio was determined to be 68.8 percent, showing a decline compared to last year.

In April, a contraction was observed in the foreign trade deficit; the deficit shrank by 29.8 percent compared to the same month of the previous year, falling to 8.5 billion dollars. Despite this, the total foreign trade deficit for the January-April period reached 37 billion 174 million dollars, an increase of 7.4 percent.

Minister Şimşek emphasized that they will continue to support sectors that bring foreign currency into the country's economy during this period of rising exports. He also stated that it is likely that there will be fluctuations in foreign trade figures in the second quarter of the year due to geopolitical tensions, noting, “Exports increased by 22.3 percent annually in April with the contribution of the calendar effect, while the increase in imports remained limited at 3.1 percent.