Turkey Imports in 2022: An Overview of the Country's Import

• Turkey’s Foreign Trade Statistics
  • Balance of Trade
• Turkey’s Main Partners for Imports in 2022
  • Russia
  • China
  • Germany
  • Switzerland
  • USA
• Turkey's Main Imports in 2022
  • Most Important Factors Affecting Turkey’s Imports in 2022
  • FAQ

Turkey’s Foreign Trade Statistics

In November 2022 Turkey exported $20.1B and imported $28.3B, resulting in a negative trade balance of $8.24B. Between November 2021 and November 2022, exports of Turkey have decreased by $-272M (-1.34%) from $20.3B to $20.1B, while imports increased by $2.37B (9.13%) from $25.9B to $28.3B.

Balance of Trade

The Turkish trade deficit widened 138.4% from the previous year to $110.19 billion in 2022, the Trade Ministry said on Monday, with exports rising 12.9% to $254.2 billion and imports jumping 34.3% to $364.4 billion.

In December, the trade deficit widened 52% from a year earlier to $10.381 billion, with exports up 3.1% to $22.92 billion and imports rising 14.6% to $33.30 billion.

Turkey's External Debt reached 442.9 USD bn in Sep 2022, compared with 445.5 USD bn in the previous quarter.

Turkey’s Main Partners for Imports in 2022

Russia

Relations between Turkey and Russia rest on a rich historical heritage. New opportunities and perspectives for cooperation emerged after the end of the Cold War.

Economic and trade relations constitute the driving force behind Turkish-Russian relations. Russia has been one of the most important trade partners of Turkey. Trade volume between the two states has reached 26,309 billion USD in 2019, with Turkey’s 3,854 billion USD worth of exports and 22,454 billion USD in imports.

Energy constitutes one of the most important elements of relations between Turkey and Russia. With TurkStream and Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant projects, cooperation in the field of energy is being carried further with Russia, which is among our leading energy suppliers.

Discover the cheapest shipping service from Turkey to Russia.

China

Turkey has a significant economic relationship with China, and China is one of Turkey's largest trading partners. Turkey's total imports from China recorded 3.642 USD bn in Dec 2022, compared with 3.121 USD bn in the previous month.

The main categories of goods that Turkey imports from China include electronics, machinery, and chemicals.

Turkey's dependence on imports from China has increased in recent years, and this has led to concerns about the country's vulnerability to supply chain disruptions and price fluctuations.

To address these concerns, the Turkish government has been seeking to diversify its imports and reduce its dependence on a single country.

Germany

Turkey and Germany have a long-standing economic relationship, and Germany is one of Turkey's most important trading partners. Turkey's Imports from Germany were $24.03 Billion in 2022, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

The main goods that Turkey imports from Germany include machinery, chemicals, automotive parts, and electronic equipment.

You may want to learn about: Shipping Routes and Conditions from Turkey to Germany.

Switzerland

Turkey and Switzerland have a modest economic relationship, but there has been a steady increase in trade volume between the two countries in recent years. According to the Swiss Federal Customs Administration, the total trade volume between Turkey and Switzerland in 2020 was $2.2 billion.

The main goods that Turkey imports from Switzerland are pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machinery, and precision instruments. Pharmaceuticals and chemicals are the largest category of imports from Switzerland, followed by machinery and precision instruments, which include watches and clocks.

Read more about: How to Ship Products from Turkey to Switzerland.

USA

Turkey and the United States have a strong economic relationship, and trade between the two countries has grown significantly in recent years. The total trade volume between Turkey and the United States was $20.3 billion, with Turkey exporting $8.3 billion worth of goods to the United States and importing $12 billion worth of goods from the United States.

The main goods that Turkey imports from the United States include machinery, aircraft, and chemicals. Within the machinery category, Turkey imports items such as computers and computer parts, while in the aircraft category, Turkey imports both civilian and military aircraft. In the chemicals category, Turkey imports items such as pharmaceuticals and plastics.

Turkey's Main Imports in 2022

The top imports of Turkey are gold ($23.7B), cars ($8.17B), refined petroleum ($6.13B), scrap iron ($6.01B), and motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($5.84B), importing mostly from Germany ($24B), China ($22.1B), Russia ($13.1B), United States ($10.7B), and Italy ($8.94B).

Most Important Factors Affecting Turkey’s Imports in 2022

Several important factors affect Turkey's imports, including:

1. Economic Conditions: The overall economic conditions in Turkey and its trading partners, including factors such as inflation, interest rates, and currency exchange rates, can significantly impact the volume and cost of imports.
2. Government Policies: Government policies such as tariffs, trade agreements, and regulations on imports can have a significant impact on the volume and cost of imports. For example, changes in tariff rates can make imported goods more or less expensive for Turkish consumers.
3. Consumer Demand: Consumer demand for certain goods can drive the volume of imports. For example, if there is high demand for electronics or clothing, Turkey may need to import more of these products to meet consumer needs.
4. Availability of Domestic Alternatives: The availability of domestic alternatives to imported goods can impact the volume of imports. For example, if there are high-quality domestic alternatives to imported products, the demand for imports may decrease.

FAQ