Trade Ministry

Türkiye's foreign trade deficit widened by 23.3 percent to $7.4 billion in November from a year ago, but the 11-month trade gap shrank 27 percent, official data showed on Dec. 2.

Exports were down 3.1 percent year-on-year to $22.3 billion, while the country's imports grew by 2.4 percent to $29.65 billion last month, the Trade Ministry said.

In a bid to showcase the rich tradition of Turkish tea, the Trade Ministry is bringing expert tea brewers from the Black Sea province of Rize to Japan from Dec. 11 to 13, where they will host classes and competitions, offering a taste of the country's finest tea craftsmanship to Japanese enthusiasts.

Türkiye has introduced new regulations impacting purchases from abroad via mail or express cargo, with an updated article significantly altering how product valuation and customs processes will be handled.

A restaurant in Uludağ, Türkiye's famous ski resort, is facing backlash after raising the price of its signature soup to 1,000 Turkish Liras ($29) per bowl — double the cost from just last winter.

The Trade Ministry has declared that gram weight information should be embedded in the tariff and pricing lists for hamburger, döner and İskender kebab in a bid to deliver customers comprehensive and explicit information.

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat is embarking on a two-day visit to Iraq, seeking to boost economic cooperation.

Bolat's visit, accompanied by delegations from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and Turkish Contractors Association (TMB), will include stops in the capital Baghdad and the southern city of Basra, Trade Ministry sources said.

Turkish contractors have secured $17.6 billion in international projects in the first 10 months of the year, according to data from the Trade Ministry.

Despite challenges like the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, Turkish contractors continue to thrive.

The Trade Ministry has launched a training program for social media influencers, allowing them to acquaint themselves with the ethical and legal guidelines that must be adhered to in marketing communications.

The Trade Ministry has received an award for its refurbished product system, introduced in 2020 to prevent waste and environmental harm, in the Consumer Protection Contest run by the World Bank and the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN).

Türkiye's exports increased by 3.2 percent in the January-September period from a year ago to reach $192.8 billion, according to data from the Trade Ministry on Oct. 3.

In the same period, the country's imports fell by 7.9 percent year-on-year to $252.9 billion.