We Achieved The Highest Monthly Export In The History Of The Republic

As the export family, we achieved two great successes in May. Last month, we realized our highest monthly export in the history of the Republic with 24.1 billion dollars. We also reached the highest value in the last 12 months with 260.1 billion dollars. I know how diligently and selflessly you, our valuable exporters, worked for this result. I congratulate and thank all exporters who contributed to this success, whether little or much.

There is an undeniable performance here. Although things seem to be going well when we look at only one side, to make a realistic analysis, we need to examine the whole picture. While our exports increased by 11.4% in value in May, the increase in tonnage was 18.8%. The data for the January-May period clarifies the table even more. Although we exported 15.5% more goods in tonnage in the first five months compared to the same period last year, the value increase remained at 4.5%. In other words, this year we are exporting our products at a cheaper price. Many of our companies are trying to keep the wheel turning by risking losses to not lose the market they have gained with great effort and dedication. The 6.7% decrease in our unit export value last month also supports this reality.

We can say that the record export is partly due to the partial recovery in global demand and the effect of the Suez crisis. Despite these two developments, the exports of our six sectors remained negative last month. Although there was a partial movement in ready-made clothing orders, the sector could not turn positive last month either. Our exports of cement, glass, ceramics, and soil products decreased by 5.7%, leather and leather products by 8.3%, and tobacco by 18%.

While our production costs continue to rise, the exchange rate is not rising but depreciating. For example, while producer prices increased by about 6% in the last two months, the dollar exchange rate decreased by 1%. On the other hand, our exporter companies continue to have difficulties in accessing cheap and long-term credit. We share our views, suggestions, and demands regarding these two issues with our ministries and relevant institutions. I hope that the problems that weaken our competitiveness and slow down our exports will be solved without further delay. We are working intensively for a solution. We presented the problems of our export sectors to Vice Chairman Cevdet Yılmaz. We conveyed the problems we experienced in accessing finance firsthand to the Chairman of the Central Bank, Fatih Karahan.

Last month, we also held our Customs and Logistics Workshop with the participation of our Ministers of Trade, Transportation, and Infrastructure. We believe that our TİM Brussels Office, which we believe will play an important role in the development and deepening of commercial relations with the European Union, will be opened.

Our delegation programs are also continuing at full speed. In 5 months, we organized 63 trade delegations and 9 procurement delegations to 40 countries. We continue to search for markets tirelessly, regardless of distance.

Of course, we did not forget the heroes of the 255.4 billion dollars of exports we achieved on the 100th anniversary of our Republic. On Saturday, June 8th, we will hold both the TİM General Assembly and announce the top 1000 exporters of 2023 with the presence of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Our companies that have contributed the most to goods and service exports will receive their awards from our President. I am grateful to all our companies for their contribution to the record exports in 2023.