According to the consolidated machinery manufacturing industry data announced by MAİB, Türkiye’s total machinery exports, including free zones, reached 16.5 billion dollars in the first seven months of the year.
According to the consolidated machinery manufacturing industry data, total machinery exports, including free zones, amounted to 16.5 billion dollars in the first seven months of the year. Despite a decline in export volume, the 9 percent increase in unit prices led to a 1.7 percent rise in export value compared with the same period of the previous year. Germany and the United States were the two leading destinations for machinery exports. Exports to Germany increased by 8.4 percent, approaching 2 billion dollars, while exports to the United States rose by 28.9 percent to around 1.4 billion dollars. In the Syrian market, where machinery exports approached 95 million dollars during the seven-month period, an increase of 51.4 percent was recorded compared with the same period of the previous year.
Pointing out that Syria’s reconstruction process and efforts to revive its civilian industrial infrastructure are bringing significant commercial potential back to life, MAİB President Sevda Kayhan Yılmaz commented on the new competitive environment emerging in the region: “Before the civil war, Syria imported machinery worth an average of 1.5 billion dollars annually. However, more than a decade of devastating conflict disrupted industrial investments and caused significant commercial potential to go unrealized. With the country entering a recovery phase again in 2025, Syria’s total machinery imports doubled compared with the previous year, rising sharply to 378 million dollars. This provided concrete evidence of how rapidly the need for technological renewal and infrastructure has gained momentum. The Turkish machinery industry, which ranked fifth in this market in 2010, increased its exports by 174.6 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching 148 million dollars and surpassing China to take first place. However, while demand is increasing in key industrial segments, particularly metalworking, plastics, food and textile machinery, competition among Chinese and European manufacturers for market share is also intensifying. The Turkish machinery industry, which remained active in the market even under the difficult conditions of the civil war and ultimately achieved market leadership, now needs new regulations suited to the current competitive environment.”
“We believe it is time for Syria to be removed from the list of high-risk countries under Türk Eximbank”
Yılmaz also pointed out that the revival of trade corridors through the efforts of the Turkish and Syrian governments, together with the medium-term target of 10 billion dollars in bilateral trade, provides highly favorable conditions to support this momentum. She continued: “To preserve the strong position we achieved in the Syrian market during the height of the crisis, we need to maintain our resilience against the aggressive, state-backed financing moves of our competitors. This depends on introducing financing instruments that will support our operational strength in the market. However, Syria is classified in Category 7, the highest-risk group under Türk Eximbank’s risk classification system, which creates a significant financial and bureaucratic obstacle for our exporters through high premium rates. The fact that the Buyer’s Credit mechanism is not available also gives our European competitors a significant financing advantage. At a time when the destructive effects of the war are beginning to recede and reconstruction budgets are being introduced, these restrictive practices continue to limit companies’ room for maneuver. We believe it is time for Syria to be removed from the list of high-risk countries under Türk Eximbank. We believe greater flexibility should be introduced in export credit insurance processes and market-specific Türk Eximbank support mechanisms should be designed without delay. These steps, which would ease exporters’ risk premium burden and strengthen their competitiveness, would both safeguard the Turkish machinery industry’s leading position in the region and enable us to contribute much more effectively to Syria’s reconstruction process.”
“We will hold one-on-one meetings with Syrian companies in Damascus”
Yılmaz stated that they had consulted with member companies to identify the problems exporters face in trade with Syria and concluded her remarks as follows: “The tenfold increase in customs duties charged per ton in Syria and the fact that Turkish products are subject to the same customs tariffs as products from Far Asia have had a significant impact on some of our sub-sectors. Machinery with large physical dimensions, in particular, has started to face a double cost burden due to customs duties calculated both by weight and by value. Another operational challenge is the limited diversity of payment channels. Since direct banking channels are not functioning, transfers made to Türkiye through foreign exchange offices prevent exporters from benefiting from foreign exchange conversion incentives. We are aware that these are not unsolvable issues and that our ministries are gradually working to address them. What matters at this point is to remain active in the market and ensure that Syrian buyers are not drawn away by competing brands. For this purpose, we are preparing carefully for the 63rd Damascus International Fair, which will be held at the end of August and in which Türkiye will organize a national participation. During our meetings in Damascus, we will explain directly to Syrian companies how a commercial partnership with Türkiye can create a win-win model.”
