Despite the Challenges, We Move Forward Into the Future
We have left behind a year marked by growing uncertainties in global trade, intensifying competition, and the further rise of protectionist barriers. In 2025, in particular, our labor-intensive sectors experienced a weakening of competitiveness, we struggled to spread exports across a broader base, and we suffered market losses.
Despite all these challenges, in December we achieved the highest monthly export value of all time, reaching USD 26.4 billion. By increasing our annual merchandise exports by 4.5 percent, we raised them to USD 273.4 billion. We estimate that our service exports will exceed USD 122 billion. Thus, we have reached the highest levels in our history in both merchandise and service exports.
Naturally, to make a sound assessment, we must analyze the data accurately. In 2025, we increased our exports by USD 11.6 billion compared to the previous year. Approximately USD 10 billion of this increase came from the automotive, defense industry, chemicals, and electrical-electronics sectors. More precisely, the performance of a limited number of firms in these sectors carried us into positive territory. In addition, we must not overlook the USD 5.4 billion parity contribution.
Nevertheless, we experienced the pride of achieving the USD 390 billion export target that our President set for us for 2025. I would like to extend my sincere thanks, individually, to all our companies that contributed to the emergence of this proud picture.
Yes, we have reached yet another target. However, there is still a long road ahead if we are to place Türkiye among the top 10 exporting countries. To attain this ambitious goal, walking is not enough; we must run and continuously accelerate our pace. In other words, we must be able to increase our exports by double digits every year. Put differently, we must once again make investment, production, employment, and exports the locomotive of the economy.
Today, Türkiye is the most important production hub in its surrounding geography. We are a brand country in production. Especially for Europe, we possess a significant advantage in near-sourcing. However, due to high production costs, many of our sectors are struggling to remain competitive.
To regain our competitiveness, it is necessary to raise employment support to 6,000 liras, increase the minimum wage support to 2,500 liras, introduce regulations that will ensure foreign-exchange conversion support is implemented more effectively and efficiently, and activate policies that will provide our exporters with access to long-term, low-interest financing. We presented these demands, which we compiled under four main headings, to our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the meeting where we announced the 2025 export figures.
It is evident that geopolitical risks and uncertainties will continue in 2026 as well. Therefore, to mitigate the risks of this process, we must regain the level of competitiveness we had three years ago. If we can overcome our competitiveness-related challenges, we can deliver a much stronger performance in 2026 and exceed the USD 410 billion target in merchandise and service exports.
Despite all difficulties, as TİM, we will not slow down in 2026 and will continue to bring our exporters together with new buyers in new markets. Within this scope, together with our exporters' associations, we will organize more than 200 delegation programs in total, 38 of which will be under the TİM organization. In developed markets, we will launch a new era of next-generation “TİM Vision Delegations.” Once again, I invite our companies to participate in trade delegations and wish that 2026 brings prosperity and success to our export family.