Türkiye’s 19 free zones saw medium- and high-tech products generate 58.4 percent of their total exports in the first nine months of 2026, according to the Trade Ministry.
The ministry said exports from the free zones rose 14.8 percent year-on-year to $1.15 billion in September, while exports in the January-September period increased 6.3 percent from a year earlier to $9.8 billion.
The export-to-import coverage ratio reached 165.5 percent in September and 159.7 percent during the first nine months of the year, with all 19 free zones remaining net exporters and strengthening their competitiveness in global markets, the ministry said.
Exports accounted for 76.1 percent of total sales generated in the free zones during the January-September period. The ministry said the technological composition of exports continued to improve, with medium-high and high-tech goods making up 58.4 percent of total exports, contributing directly to Türkiye’s value-added export targets.
A total of 1,930 companies, including 466 foreign firms, operate in the free zones and provide direct employment to 88,007 people, according to the statement.
The ministry said 2,788 operating licenses have been issued in the free zones, including 2,102 to domestic users and 686 to foreign users. Production-related licenses accounted for 44.6 percent of the total.
