Turkey's exports rise in January

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's exports in January increased on a yearly basis, while imports went down, the trade minister said on Monday.

"The Trade Ministry will reveal foreign trade figures based on both special trade system and general trade system throughout 2019," Ruhsar Pekcan said at a news conference in capital Ankara.

The ministry formerly announced figures based on the special trade system.

The general trade system is a wider concept, including customs warehouses, all types of free zones, free circulation area and premises for inward processing.

Pekcan said Turkish exports based on the special trade system reached some $13.2 billion in January, up nearly 6 percent compared to the same month last year.

Turkey's exports last month formed on general trade system totaled at $13.9 billion, Pekcan said. The figure was up 6.3 percent year-on-year.

"Our imports in January based on the special trade system were $15.7 billion [down 27 percent on a yearly basis] and based on general trade system were $16.2 billion [down $26.9 percent annually]," Pekcan said.