UPDATE - Turkish exports see record monthly figure in Sept

UPDATE WITH MORE REMARKS FROM MINISTER, TIM HEAD

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Having risen 30% year-on-year, Turkey posted its highest-ever monthly exports figure in September with $20.8 billion, the trade minister announced on Friday.

"For the first time in our republic's history, we've exceeded the threshold level of $20 billion on a monthly basis," Mehmet Mus told reporters in the capital Ankara, citing preliminary foreign trade figures.

Turkey also achieved its 12-month rolling exports target for 2021 in the first nine months of the year, reaching $212.2 billion, Mus stressed.

As laid out in Turkey's new economic program announced by the government, the export target for this year is $211 billion, he noted.

"I believe this success story will continue to increase and maintain growth permanently," Mus said.

The country's imports totaled at $23.4 billion in September, up 12% from the same month last year, he said.

September's exports-to-imports coverage ratio stood at 88.9% while it was 76.7% a year ago, he underlined.

In his part, Ismail Gulle, the head of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), said: "The family of exports, waving the Turkish flag in 218 countries and regions, succeeded increasing exports to 170 countries."

Germany was the main destination for Turkish exports with $1.7 billion, a 12% rise.It was followed by the US with $1.3 billion and the UK with $1.3 billion, Gulle stressed.

"The countries where we see the largest rise in exports on the basis of amount were the US by $450 million, Belgium by $278 million and Spain by $257 million," he said.

In the first nine months of this year, Turkish exports amounted to $161 billion, a surge of 36% from last year, minister Mus noted.

The imports climbed 24% to $193.4 billion, slashing the country's foreign trade deficit by 15% to $32.4 billion.

The exports-to-imports coverage ratio also went up by 7.5 percentage points to 83.3% in January-September, he highlighted.