The Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) Chairman Mehmet Büyükekşi released Turkey's export figures for January 2009.
According to the TIM statement, the country's exports in January decreased by 27.91 percent to $7.051 billion, compared to the same month of last year. Meanwhile, Turkey's exports rose by 14.29 percent in twelve months from February 1, 2008 to January 31, 2009, compared to the same period in previous year, to reach $124.769 billion.
During the month in question, Turkish iron and steel exports experienced a slight rise to $965.694 million, compared to $965.941 million of same month of the previous year. Iron and steel exports in twelve months ending in January 31, 2009 rose by 65.96 percent to $19.399 billion, compared to the same period in previous year.
TIM chairman Büyükekşi commented that Turkey's progress to $500 billion export aim proceeded despite the negative factors. Büyükekşi stated the credit depression in the market, the bank's discredit to industry, and the enterprises encountering credit tightness, asserting the need of $1 billion credit fund to overcome this depression and the guarantee of increase of the fund to $5 billion if required.