Turkey: Mining sector exports jump 40.2% in Jan-April

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish mining sector exports reached $1.77 billion in the first four months of 2021, jumping 40.2% year-on-year, a sector group said on Tuesday.

Exports of natural stones rose 26% to $620 million and metallic mining groups surged 63% to $630.35 million over the same period, according to a press release from the Turkish Exporters Assembly's Mining Sector Council.

Rustem Cetinkaya, the council's head, said the sector has recovered from 2020 and may even top 2019 figures this year.

But he stressed that freight prices pose a problem for Turkish exporters and could even cause a slowdown in the second quarter.