Türkiye’s June exports to Gulf countries top $826M, up 35.7% yearly

Türkiye’s strong diplomatic and commercial ties with the countries members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have positively reflected on recent trade figures, as exports to the region surged 35.7% on a yearly basis to surpass $826 million last month, according to a report on Wednesday.

Türkiye continues to strengthen ties with the six member states of the GCC, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, as part of its diplomatic outreach across both neighboring and distant regions.

Accordingly, exports to Gulf countries in June rose 35.7% year-over-year to $826.8 million, compared with some $609.2 million in the same month last year, a report by Anadolu Agency (AA) indicated.

The exports to the Gulf countries posted notable growth despite the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict and tensions in the wider region.

Moreover, during the January-June period, Türkiye’s exports to the six Gulf countries reached approximately $4.1 billion.

On the other hand, according to data compiled by AA from the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM), the country’s overall exports totaled $24.94 billion in June, up 21.8% from the same month last year.

Among the Gulf nations, Saudi Arabia was the largest export market with $425.2 million, followed by the UAE with $295.6 million, Kuwait with $34.7 million, Qatar with $34.2 million, Oman with $29.1 million, and Bahrain with $8 million.

Exports to 4 Gulf countries increased

Saudi Arabia recorded the largest increase in export value in June compared with the same month in 2025, rising by approximately $229.8 million.

Oman followed with an increase of $13.5 million, Kuwait $8.2 million, and Qatar $7.4 million.

Exports to Bahrain declined by $567,000, while shipments to the UAE fell by $40.8 million during the same period.

The jewelry sector ranked first among Türkiye’s exports to Gulf countries in June, totaling about $105.6 million. It was followed by chemicals and chemical products with $69 million, grains, pulses, oilseeds and related products with $59.2 million, electrical and electronics with $47.9 million, and machinery and components with $29 million.

Commenting on the figures, Halit Acar, the head of the Türkiye-Middle East and Gulf Business Council at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said the rise in exports despite regional geopolitical developments showed that economic ties between Türkiye and Gulf countries had become more resilient and sustainable.

Acar said the intensive diplomatic engagement in recent months had produced positive results for trade, noting that Türkiye’s close political dialogue with Gulf countries and particularly Iraq had created new opportunities for the private sector.

He also stressed that a climate of trust was just as important as economic indicators for sustaining trade.

“Looking ahead to the second half of the year, two key scenarios stand out,” Acar said.

“If the regional security environment improves further, we expect postponed investments to regain momentum, accelerating exports, particularly in construction materials, machinery, electrical equipment, healthcare, food and logistics,” he added.

“Even if current geopolitical risks remain under control, we believe the Gulf countries’ strong fiscal positions will help preserve public investment and trade growth.”

Saudi Arabia has become Türkiye’s largest Gulf export market and the country recording the strongest export growth, Acar said, attributing the performance not only to improving bilateral economic ties but also to the kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.

Acar also noted that the UAE remained Türkiye’s second-largest Gulf market, with $295.6 million in exports in June.

“Although exports declined by around $40.8 million on a monthly basis, we do not consider this a lasting trend,” he said.

He added that the UAE continues to serve not only as its own domestic market but also as a regional trade and re-export hub for Africa and Asia, and expressed confidence that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Türkiye and the UAE would further boost bilateral trade.

Momentum to build with stronger partnerships

Furthermore, he said it is no longer “sufficient” to look at the relations with Gulf countries solely through export figures, as he suggested that the region is entering “a new phase shaped by investment partnerships, industrial cooperation and emerging logistics corridors.”

“Given Türkiye’s manufacturing strength, engineering capabilities and geographical advantage, we expect trade with Gulf countries to maintain its current momentum in the second half of the year and become even stronger through new partnerships,” he added.

In addition, he also pointed out that progress on the Development Road project is expected to deepen economic ties between Iraq and the Gulf countries, with Türkiye positioned as one of the key stakeholders in the emerging trade corridor.

DAILYSABAH