The conflict in the Middle East weighed on Türkiye’s trade performance in March, as exports fell, imports rose, and the foreign trade deficit expanded.
Exports totaled $21.92 billion, down 6.4 percent year-on-year, while imports increased 8.4 percent to $33.18 billion. Consequently, the trade deficit widened by 56.6 percent compared with March 2025, reaching $11.26 billion, according to Trade Ministry data released on April 2.
Presenting the figures in the eastern province of Van, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat noted that goods exports in March declined by about $1.5 billion from a year earlier. “The negative impact stems not only from the war conditions but also from the extended holiday period in March and calendar effects,” he explained.
The export-to-import coverage ratio dropped 10.4 points to 66.1 percent. Excluding energy, the ratio fell 14.3 points to 74.4 percent, while excluding both energy and gold, it decreased 14 points to 78.9 percent.
Germany remained Türkiye’s largest export destination, with shipments worth $1.82 billion in March, followed by the U.S. ($1.38 billion) and Italy ($1.29 billion). Exports to the U.K. and France stood at $1.16 billion and $995 million, respectively.
Defense and aerospace exports down 9.2percent year-on-year to $803 million in March, though first-quarter exports rose 12.1 percent to $1.91 billion. Automotive exports led all sectors, totaling $3.29 billion in March, a 6.3 percent decline, but still up 4.3 percent in the first quarter at $9.9 billion.
On the import side, China was Türkiye’s top supplier at $4.76 billion, followed by Germany ($2.54 billion) and Russia ($2.04 billion). Imports from Switzerland reached $1.62 billion, while those from the U.S. amounted to $1.52 billion.
For the first quarter overall, exports fell 3.1 percent year-on-year to $63.3 billion, while imports grew 4.7 percent to $91.96 billion. The trade deficit widened 27.5 percent to $28.68 billion.
On a 12‑month rolling basis, exports stood at $271.3 billion, while imports reached $369.6 billion at the end of March, leaving a trade gap of $98.3 billion.
