Turkish jewelry sector targets $20 billion in exports

ISTANBUL  

Türkiye’s jewelry industry has set a target of reaching $20 billion in exports, according to the Jewelry Exporters’ Association (MİB), as the sector seeks to reverse a sharp decline in overseas sales caused largely by restrictions on gold imports.

MİB data showed that Türkiye’s jewelry exports totaled $7.9 billion in 2025, while exports in the first six months of 2026 reached $2.9 billion.

During the same period, overall sector exports fell 33 percent, while exports of processed gold jewelry plunged 62 percent.

Mustafa Özcan, chairman of the MİB board, said Türkiye remains the world’s third-largest jewelry producer after India and Italy, but attributed the recent downturn primarily to quotas imposed on gold imports.

Emphasizing that the sector has suffered significant losses in exports over the past two years, Özcan said the industry is facing not only rising costs but also a loss of confidence among international buyers.

He said the sector could achieve much higher export figures if structural problems were addressed.

“Our primary goal for the next four years is to quickly reverse the 37.6 percent export decline experienced by the sector and to make our position as the third-largest producer and exporter after India and Italy permanent,” Özcan said.

“We believe our sector can achieve a $20 billion export target if structural barriers, especially the quota on gold imports, are lifted,” he said.