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The share of medium-high and high technology products in the total exports of Turkey's 19 free zones reached 58.4% in the first nine months of the year, the Trade Ministry said.

Free zone exports rose 14.8% in September to $1.15 billion and climbed 6.3% year on year to $9.8 billion in the January-September period, according to the ministry's assessment of export performance.

Export-to-import ratio and sales composition

The ministry said the ratio of exports to imports in the free zones stood at 165.5% in September and 159.7% over the nine-month period. "Our 19 free zones are net exporters and have strengthened in global competition," the statement said.

Exports accounted for 76.1% of all sales made from the free zones in the January-September period. The ministry said the technological content of the zones' export portfolio continued to improve and that the higher share of medium-high and high technology products contributed directly to Turkey's goals for value-added exports.

Firms employ 88,007 people directly

A total of 1,930 user companies operate in the free zones, 466 of them foreign, and they provide direct employment for 88,007 people, the statement said.

Of the 2,788 operating licenses issued, 2,102 went to domestic users and 686 to foreign ones. The share of production-related operating licenses in the total rose to 44.6%.

Ege Free Zone alone accounts for 25.8% of exports

Ege Free Zone increased its exports by $159.2 million, or 6.7%, from the same period of the previous year to $2.542 billion, taking a 25.8% share of the free zones' total exports on its own. Bursa Free Zone lifted its exports 30.7% to $1.563 billion.

Adana-Yumurtalık Free Zone raised its exports 23.4% year on year to $425 million in the first nine months. Adana-Yumurtalık, Batı Anadolu, Bursa and Trabzon free zones each recorded export growth of 10% or more.

Ege Free Zone reached a trade volume of $4.81 billion with overseas markets and Turkey, accounting for 22% of the free zones' total trade volume by itself. The ministry said increases in trade and trade volumes in the Adana-Yumurtalık, Avrupa, Batı Anadolu and Gaziantep free zones drew attention.

Ministry points to technology-focused export bases

The ministry said work would continue with determination to turn the free zones into strategic export hubs based on technology-focused and high value-added production, in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "Türkiye Yüzyılı" vision and thanks to the country's safe and strategic geographic position.

Key takeaways

• Free zone exports reached $9.8 billion in the first nine months, up 6.3% from a year earlier.
• Medium-high and high technology products made up 58.4% of free zone exports in that period.
• The zones' export-to-import ratio stood at 159.7% over nine months, with 1,930 firms employing 88,007 people.
• Ege Free Zone handled 25.8% of total free zone exports and $4.81 billion in total trade volume.