Turkey’s Trade Ministry has been developing new strategies to increase the country’s exports to remote countries, where the total foreign sales increased by 42.2% year-over-year, reaching $27.16 billion (TL 372.42 billion) in 2021. Last year, while most of Turkey's exports were made to countries within a distance of 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), the ministry aims to extend the export range, an Anadolu Agency (AA) report said Thursday. Countries considered distant include the United States, Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, India, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Chile, Thailand and Vietnam. Turkey currently holds a 0.26% share of the $8.2 trillion in imports for the 18 target countries, located an average distance of 8,500 kilometers from Turkey. The ministry foresees opening up to these markets and increasing exports to the level of $82 billion. Besides the export of goods, the export of services to these countries is set to be increased as well.
In addition, the ministry has wrapped up the Overseas Logistics Centers Project, which will support the "Remote Countries Strategy." According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Turkey earned $18.9 billion from exports to these 18 countries in 2020, while this figure reached $27.16 billion with an increase of 42.2% last year. Among these countries, the largest amount of exports were made to the U.S., with a total approaching $12.9 billion. Exports to the U.S. increased by 45% last year compared to the previous year. In this period, exports to China amounted to $3.3 billion with an increase of 26.2%. While exports to Canada increased by 67.8% and approached $1.6 billion, exports to India increased by 34.4% and exceeded $1.2 billion. The highest increase in exports on a rate basis was in Chile with an increase of 122.2%. Last year, Turkey made exports worth $593.3 million to the country. Exports to Brazil also increased by 77.4% and exceeded $995.6 million. Sales to Mexico, meanwhile, increased by 55.5% to $755.6 million, while exports to South Africa increased by 50.2% to $883.4 million.