Lira‑Denominated Foreign Trade Hits 772.9 Billion Lira

Turkey’s lira‑denominated foreign trade volume surged to 772.9 billion lira in the January‑June period, posting a yearly rise of 10.7 %.

Monthly Trade Flows: Export‑Import Swings

■January: exports 24.727 billion lira (‑6 %), imports 83.526 billion lira (+18.8 %) → total 108.253 billion lira

■February: exports 27.704 billion lira (‑2 %), imports 92.868 billion lira (+10.5 %) → total 120.571 billion lira

■March: exports 31.675 billion lira (+2.6 %), imports 110.185 billion lira (+15.1 %) → total 141.860 billion lira

■April: exports 38.212 billion lira (+57.3 %), imports 107.669 billion lira (+10.8 %) → total 145.881 billion lira

■May: exports 29.466 billion lira (+2.7 %), imports 82.451 billion lira (‑8.4 %) → total 111.917 billion lira

■June: exports 30.080 billion lira (+26.6 %), imports 114.383 billion lira (+16.1 %) → total 144.463 billion lira

First‑Half Totals and Outlook

■Total exports: 181.864 billion lira (Jan‑Jun, +12.1 % YoY)

■Total imports: 591.081 billion lira (Jan‑Jun, +10.3 % YoY)

■Combined foreign‑trade volume: 772.945 billion lira (+10.7 % YoY)

As Zeynep Kaya notes, the persistent rise in lira‑based imports reflects robust domestic demand and energy costs, while the April‑May export burst highlights sectoral competitiveness and temporary exchange‑rate advantages. Although this external balance may ease short‑term inflation pressures, a chronic import‑export gap continues to strain foreign‑exchange reserves and limit monetary policy flexibility.