Turkey’s Foreign Trade Grows in March as Export-to-Import Ratio Improves

Turkey’s foreign trade performance showed positive momentum in March 2025, with exports and imports both registering year-on-year increases, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Trade.

March 2025 Trade Snapshot: Exports Up 3.2%, Imports Up 2.3%

Compared to March 2024:

• Exports rose by 3.2%, reaching $23.39 billion

• Imports grew by 2.3%, totaling $30.65 billion

• The foreign trade volume increased by 2.7%, hitting $54.04 billion

• The foreign trade deficit narrowed slightly by 0.5%, standing at $7.27 billion

Q1 2025 Performance: Trade Volume Surpasses $153 Billion

In the January–March 2025 period, compared to the same period last year:

• Exports increased by 2.5%, totaling $65.31 billion

• Imports rose by 4.6%, reaching $87.89 billion

• The total foreign trade volume grew by 3.7%, reaching $153.19 billion

Export-to-Import Ratio Continues to Strengthen

The report also highlighted improvements in the export-to-import ratio, a key indicator of trade balance health:

• In March 2025, the exports-to-imports coverage ratio rose 0.7 points to 76.3%

• Excluding energy, the ratio climbed 3.5 points to 89.1%

• Excluding both energy and gold, the ratio reached 93.3%, marking a 2.1-point increase

Conclusion: Modest Growth Amid Global Uncertainty

The data suggests that Turkey's export sector continues to demonstrate resilience, while import growth remains moderate. The narrowing trade deficit and increasing export-to-import ratios, especially when adjusted for energy and gold, reflect positive structural trends in Turkey’s external trade dynamics.