According to the provisional data, produced with the cooperation of the Turkish Statistical Institute and the Ministry of Trade, in March 2019; exports were 15 billion 486 million dollars with a 0.4% decrease and imports were 17 billion 622 million dollars with a 17.8% decrease compared with March 2018.

In March 2019 foreign trade deficit was 2 billion 137 million dollars with a 63.7% decrease compared with March 2018. In March 2019, exports coverage imports were 87.9% while it was 72.6% in March 2018.

Seasonally and calendar adjusted exports and imports increased by 2.4% and 2.5%, respectively compared with the previous month. Calendar adjusted exports increased by 2.6% while imports decreased by 15% compared with March 2018.

In March 2019, the main partner country for exports was Germany with 1 billion 403 million dollars. The country was followed by the United Kingdom with 855 million dollars, Italy with 827 million dollars and Iraq with 782 million dollars. The top country for Turkey's imports was Russia with 1 billion 969 million dollars. The country was followed by Germany with 1 billion 615 million dollars, China with 1 billion 405 million dollars and the USA with 940 million dollars.

Foreign trade by technology intensity covers the manufacturing industries' products in the classification of ISIC Rev.3. According to the ISIC Rev.3, the ratio of manufacturing industries products in total exports was 94.9% in March. The ratio of exports of high-technology products in manufacturing industries was 3.9%. The ratio of manufacturing industries' products in total imports was 74.5%. The ratio of imports of high-technology products in manufacturing industries' products was 15.7% in March 2019.

According to the general trade system in March 2019, exports were 16 billion 305 million dollars with a 0.3% increase and imports were 18 billion 250 million dollars with an 18% decrease compared with March 2018. Exports coverage imports were 89.3% in March 2019. (ILKHA)