In August, Muğla, which significantly contributes to the Aegean Region's exports in sectors such as mining, olives, seafood, and citrus fruits, reached an export figure of 94 million dollars.
**Export Performance of the Aegean Region: August Highlights**
The Aegean Region's leading export sectors included Seafood and Animal Products. In August, the Aegean Exporters' Associations achieved an export performance of 1.548 billion dollars, marking a 3% increase from the 1.508 billion dollars in August 2023. From January to August, the total exports by the Aegean Exporters' Associations amounted to 12.097 billion dollars. Over the past year, the Associations contributed 18.185 billion dollars to Turkey's foreign exchange earnings.
**Seafood Sector Among Top Export Items**
In the Aegean, the highest exports were in the sectors of iron and non-ferrous metals, seafood, and animal products. The Aegean Exporters' Union for Seafood and Animal Products increased its exports from 137 million dollars to 145 million dollars, a 6% rise, maintaining its leading position.
**Mineral Exports Up by 33%**
The Aegean Mining Exporters' Association added another success in August, increasing its export volume by 33%, from 98 million dollars to 130.5 million dollars, securing third place among top exporters.
**Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Products Exported at 103.8 Million Dollars**
Another notable achievement within the Aegean Exporters' Associations was the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Union, which surpassed the 100 million dollar mark with a performance of 103.8 million dollars.
**Olive and Olive Oil Exports Up by 59%**
The Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters' Association saw a remarkable 59% increase in exports, raising the revenue from 28.4 million dollars to 45.2 million dollars. This made it the leader in export growth among the 12 associations within the Aegean Exporters' Associations.
**Muğla Ranks 4th in the Aegean**
According to the Aegean Exporters' Associations, İzmir holds the top spot among the first four provinces in the region, followed by Manisa, Denizli, and Muğla. Muğla's exports increased from 88.7 million dollars in August 2023 to 94 million dollars.
**Eskinazi: “Exporter’s Capital is Eroding”**
Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator President of the Aegean Exporters' Associations, emphasized the challenges faced by exporters due to the mismatch between rising inflation and foreign exchange rates. He noted that exporters are struggling to maintain export figures at the expense of their own capital. Eskinazi stated, “This situation is not sustainable for our exporters. Especially in labor-intensive sectors, we are witnessing job losses. We missed the opportunity to attract suppliers who turned to Turkey after the pandemic. Turkey is positioned 35-40% more expensive compared to competitors in the Far East. We need an economic model that allows us to compete with global rivals to ensure the survival of our exporting companies. Otherwise, we will face losses in this process.”