We Have Set Our Compass Towards Our Goals
I would like to begin by celebrating the 102nd anniversary of the 30th of August Victory Day, the pivotal battle of the War of Independence. I pay my deepest respects and gratitude to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the architect of this victory, and all our heroic figures.
Never forgetting Atatürk's words, "The one who loves their country the most is the one who performs their duties best," we continue our journey with determination and resolve to achieve our great goals in production and exports.
With August behind us, we have now completed eight months. Last month, we achieved exports worth $22.1 billion. Our exports for the January-August period reached $170.8 billion, while the last 12 months' exports amounted to $262 billion. We recorded a 2.4% increase in monthly exports, a 3.9% increase for the eight-month period, and a 3.5% increase for the 12-month period.
Seventeen of our sectors increased their exports last month. However, our leading sectors—automotive and chemicals—saw declines, while ready-to-wear exports remained flat. None of our sectors surpassed the $3 billion threshold in August.
Among the sectors with the highest proportional export increase, jewelry ranked first with a 108% rise. Last month, 48 of our provinces increased their exports, and 1,228 companies exported for the first time. Our unit export value stood at $1.49.
One of the most notable data points for August was that we increased our exports by over 50% in 42 countries. Although we achieved export increases exceeding 10% in 97 countries, the overall monthly average remained low due to contractions in our key markets.
In this regard, I find our trade missions and the search for new markets extremely valuable. Last month, we conducted a large-scale mission in Nigeria, and this month, we will be organizing another trade mission to Morocco.
Since the beginning of the year, we have organized 91 trade missions with our export unions, and we plan to increase this number to 150 by the end of the year. Our participation in fairs, which was 228 in the first eight months, will reach 378 by the year's end.
On the other hand, we continuously share our views and recommendations with the relevant ministries and institutions to address the challenges faced by our exporters.
Last month, we had a meeting with our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the Dolmabahçe Office. During the meeting, I presented the issues and expectations of our exporters, as well as our evaluations on what we can achieve in the short, medium, and long term. It was an extremely productive meeting.
Although we are in positive territory for the first eight months, we are still behind our target. In the remaining four months, we will continue to work tirelessly to meet our year-end goal. The dedication shown by our exporters during this period strengthens my belief in our success.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone that we will be hosting the 11th edition of Türkiye Innovation Week from October 10-12. As in previous years, we will bring together successful business leaders, technology pioneers, entrepreneurs, and young talent. I warmly invite you all to join us at TIW2024.