Türkiye's high tech exports approach $10 Billion as growth targets set for 2025

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kaçır stated, "Our high technology exports have reached nearly $10 billion, and our medium-high and high technology exports are close to $100 billion. We will accelerate our steps to support high value-added production and exports."

According to data compiled from TURKSTAT and the 2025 Presidential Annual Program, Türkiye's export of medium-high and high technology products in the manufacturing sector has approached $100 billion over the past ten years.

Türkiye's export of medium-high and high technology products was $53.1 billion in 2013, rising to $60.1 billion in 2017. This export increased to $77.4 billion in 2021 and reached $88.7 billion in 2022. Last year, the export of medium-high and high technology products was recorded at $97.3 billion.

In the January-September period of this year, the export of these products stood at $73.4 billion.

PRIORITY SECTORS AND HUMAN CAPITAL SUPPORT

In his assessment of the data, Minister Kaçır explained that over the past 22 years, they have prioritized policies to increase investment, production, employment, and exports in the manufacturing industry focused on competitive production.

Emphasizing that they have increased the national income from $238 billion to $1.1 trillion over the last 22 years, Kaçır noted that Türkiye, which was the 18th largest economy in the world in 2002, has now grown to be the 11th largest economy based on purchasing power, averaging 5.4% growth each year.

Kaçır highlighted that sectors within the manufacturing industry have seen increases in employment, production, trade, added value, and technology levels, naming chemicals, pharmaceuticals-medical devices, machinery, electrical equipment, automotive, electronics, and rail vehicles as priority sectors.

He underlined that they would increase high value-added production through technology, innovation, product quality, and efficiency, planning to boost employment, production, and exports based on high technology and efficiency investments while strengthening human capital in this direction.

TARGET OF $117.1 BILLION BY 2025

Kaçır expressed that they would accelerate structural transformation through industrial policies aimed at high value-added production, also aiming to increase the share of medium and high technology product exports in manufacturing exports.

Pointing out that Türkiye's high technology product exports are approaching $10 billion, Kaçır continued, "Our export of medium-high and high technology products set a record last year at $97.3 billion, and this year it is at $73.4 billion after nine months. We are resolutely continuing our programs and supports to increase our exports. We expect the share of medium-high and high technology products in manufacturing exports to approach 44% next year. As stated in the Presidential Annual Program, we aim for this export to reach approximately $104 billion in 2024 and $117.1 billion in 2025."

NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AHEAD

Kaçır emphasized that they have made Türkiye a global production hub by increasing the number of Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs) from 191 to 362 and establishing 45 industrial zones, stating that nearly 11,000 firms are conducting technology development activities in 104 technoparks.

He mentioned that they have introduced new instruments for the transformation of the manufacturing industry focused on value-added production, green and digital transformation, stating, "Our annual high technology product exports, more than half of which come from the aerospace and defense industry, have exceeded $9.1 billion. With the 'Technology-Focused Industry Initiative Program,' which establishes a comprehensive support mechanism from R&D to mass production for high technology investments, we have mobilized investments worth 102 billion Turkish lira to date. Through our 'Investment Commitment Advance Credit' (YTAK) program, we provide attractive long-term financing conditions for high technology investments."

Kaçır noted that they have announced the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program, the largest-scale incentive program in history, which aims to make Türkiye the address for new technology investments. "With this program, we offer project-based investment incentives alongside market development supports, attractive financing conditions, and suitable investment areas to our investors. We are rolling out new projects to support the sustainable and efficiency-focused transformation of the locomotive sectors of our economy. We will continue to introduce new incentive instruments to meet the twin transformation needs of our industrialists," he said.

Mehmet Fatih Kaçır added that they have included eight digital technology areas in the project proposal call, specifically big data, the Internet of Things, industrial robot technologies, smart sensor technologies, AI-based cyber-physical smart factory systems and components, cybersecurity, smart and flexible automation systems, and virtual/augmented reality.