Exports increased by 21 percent in earthquake-affected provinces

The total exports of the 11 provinces affected by the earthquakes in the first quarter increased by 21.04 percent compared to the same period last year and reached 6 billion 86 million 873 thousand dollars. According to the data of the Ministry of Commerce; Türkiye achieved exports of 63.7 billion dollars in the January-March period of 2024, with an increase of 3.6 percent. In the first quarter, there was a strong recovery in the total exports of the 11 provinces hit by the earthquakes of February 6, 2023. Exports of Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa in the first quarter increased by 21.04% compared to the same period last year, reaching 6 billion 86 million 873 thousand dollars. Exports worth 5 billion 28 million 525 thousand dollars were made from 11 provinces in the January-March period of last year. Thus, exports in 11 provinces affected by the earthquake exceeded the level in the same period of 2023 in the first quarter.

While 8 of the 11 earthquake-affected provinces increased their exports, 3 of them saw a decrease in foreign sales. The province with the highest exports in the January-March period was Gaziantep with 2 billion 319 million 332 thousand dollars. Gaziantep was followed by Hatay with 1 billion 446 million 147 thousand dollars and Adana with 1 billion 75 million 942 thousand dollars. The province that increased its exports the most on an annual basis in the first quarter was Hatay with 43.5 percent. Hatay was followed by Kahramanmaraş with 35.9 percent and Şanlıurfa with 27 percent. The provinces with the highest decline in exports in the January-March period were Diyarbakır with 26.3 percent, Kilis with 13.9 percent and Elazığ with 9.3 percent.

The exports of 11 provinces affected by the earthquakes, described as the disaster of the century, in the first quarter of 2022 amounted to 6 billion 182 million 595 thousand dollars. Comparing the first quarter of 2023 with the same period of 2022 due to the effects of the negativities caused by the earthquake, there was a loss of 1 billion 154 million 69 thousand dollars in exports. However, it was seen that exports in the first three months of this year approached the same period of 2022. The export difference between the two periods was calculated as only 95 million 721 million dollars.

Despite the earthquake, Southeastern Anatolia continues to be one of the regions that contribute the most to the economy with exports. Exporting to a total of 187 countries in the first quarter of the year, the region’s exports reached 2.9 billion dollars. Southeastern Anatolia Exporters’ Association Coordinator President Fikret Kileci said, “With our ability to turn risks into opportunities, we do not compromise on our export policy, which always aims to grow by prioritizing sustainable exports, despite all the global and regional turmoil in recent years.”