Turkey's May exports fall, Aydın region notes 4.9% dip amid calendar effects

The Aydın Chamber of Industry reported that the province’s May 2026 exports fell 4.9% year‑on‑year to $160.6 million, attributing the decline to fewer working days during the Eid holiday. Despite the drop, Aydın shipped goods to 126 countries, with Germany, Italy, the United States and the Netherlands remaining its top markets.

National trade data released by TÜİK and the Ministry of Trade showed Turkey’s overall exports in May decreased 9.5% to $22.461 billion, while imports fell 10.8% to $28.071 billion, narrowing the trade deficit by 15.6% to $5.61 billion. The first five months of 2026 saw export growth of 0.2% to $111.118 billion and import growth of 1.1% to $153.834 billion. Germany was the leading export destination with $1.714 billion, and Russia the top import source with $3.758 billion.

The Turkish Steel Producers Association noted a rise in May steel production, up 8.9% year‑on‑year to 3.4 million tonnes, while steel exports slipped slightly and imports dropped sharply by over 16% in volume.