According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), Türkiye’s exports reached USD 25.4 billion in April 2026 with a 22.3% increase, marking the second-highest monthly export figure of all time. The chemical sector, which accounted for a 14% share of total exports in April, achieved USD 3.1 billion in exports. Increasing its exports by 19.3% compared with April of last year, the chemical sector continued to maintain its position as the second-largest exporting sector.
As one of Türkiye’s leading export sectors, the chemical industry sustained its strong performance in April 2026. With exports exceeding USD 3 billion in April, the sector became Türkiye’s second-largest exporter. Chemical sector exports increased by 19.3% compared with the same month of the previous year. Looking at the first four months of the year, the sector continued its stable growth. Total exports in the January-April period approached USD 11 billion, while the sector succeeded in maintaining its export strength despite global economic uncertainties.
V. İbrahim Aracı, Chairman of the Board of the Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (İKMİB), made the following assessment regarding April export performance: “Our chemical sector made a strong start to 2026 and continued its steady export growth in April. The 19.3% increase clearly demonstrates that our sector maintains its competitiveness despite global challenges. The export value of approximately USD 11 billion reached in the January-April period is also an important indicator for our year-end targets. In addition, the new support measures announced by our President will once again provide morale for the sector. As İKMİB, our efforts will always focus on increasing our exports and value-added products. In the period ahead, we will continue without slowing down our work on value-added production, sustainability-oriented transformation, access to new markets, and attracting foreign investments related to exports to our country. As the chemical sector, we will continue to make the strongest contribution to Türkiye’s export targets.”
Plastics and Products Led Chemical Exports in April
In April, among the chemical substances and products groups, plastics and products ranked first in chemical exports with USD 1 billion 27 million 166 thousand. Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products ranked second with USD 724 million 134 thousand in exports, while inorganic chemicals ranked third with USD 271 million 673 thousand. Following inorganic chemicals, the other sectors in the top ten were essential oils, cosmetics and soap; rubber and rubber articles; paints, varnishes, inks and preparations; pharmaceutical products; miscellaneous chemical substances; washing preparations; and organic chemicals.
Italy Was the Top Export Destination in April
Italy was the country with the highest export volume in April, with USD 221 million. The top ten export destinations in April were Italy, Spain, Romania, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Russia, Egypt, the United Kingdom and Poland. Among the top 20 countries in April, the highest increase was recorded in Morocco, with 159.42%.
Chemical Exports by Month in 2026
| Month |
2025 Value (USD) |
2026 Value (USD) |
Difference (%) |
| January |
2,549,293,558.17 |
2,317,371,695.08 |
-9.10% |
| February |
2,484,247,846.16 |
2,393,438,196.08 |
-3.66% |
| March |
2,722,708,410.50 |
3,017,010,818.32 |
10.81% |
| April |
2,609,747,170.13 |
3,114,663,822.21 |
19.35% |
Countries with the Highest Chemical Exports in April 2026
| No. |
Country |
April 2025 Value (USD) |
April 2026 Value (USD) |
Change (%) |
| 1 |
Italy |
161,890,976.01 |
221,445,763.53 |
36.79% |
| 2 |
Spain |
118,092,724.49 |
184,000,942.55 |
55.81% |
| 3 |
Romania |
163,619,152.98 |
181,530,804.46 |
10.95% |
| 4 |
Germany |
112,564,185.44 |
140,639,769.34 |
24.94% |
| 5 |
Netherlands |
124,777,741.67 |
119,044,998.50 |
-4.59% |
| 6 |
USA |
78,537,924.84 |
108,507,542.56 |
38.16% |
| 7 |
Russia |
104,095,967.46 |
105,467,224.24 |
1.32% |
| 8 |
Egypt |
39,889,821.04 |
93,588,258.08 |
134.62% |
| 9 |
United Kingdom |
75,023,451.29 |
92,003,915.16 |
22.63% |
| 10 |
Poland |
57,022,592.27 |
81,225,625.02 |
42.44% |
Sub-Sectors in Chemical Sector Exports in April 2026
| Product Group |
April 2025 Value (USD) |
April 2026 Value (USD) |
Difference (%) |
| Plastics and Products |
794,422,171 |
1,027,166,995 |
29.30% |
| Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils and Products |
686,090,449 |
724,134,105 |
5.54% |
| Inorganic Chemicals |
232,073,133 |
271,673,634 |
17.06% |
| Essential Oils, Cosmetics and Soap |
179,889,824 |
225,192,156 |
25.18% |
| Rubber and Rubber Articles |
132,969,247 |
159,286,443 |
19.79% |
| Paints, Varnishes, Inks and Preparations |
121,427,569 |
154,930,443 |
27.59% |
| Pharmaceutical Products |
129,161,141 |
154,496,004 |
19.61% |
| Miscellaneous Chemical Substances |
111,419,719 |
139,170,735 |
24.91% |
| Washing Preparations |
72,468,206 |
85,514,387 |
18.00% |
| Organic Chemicals |
72,230,498 |
82,993,678 |
14.90% |
| Adhesives, Glues and Enzymes |
46,568,006 |
62,831,891 |
34.93% |
| Fertilizers |
28,076,953 |
22,812,015 |
-18.75% |
| Gunpowder, Explosives and Derivatives |
1,645,770 |
2,407,237 |
46.27% |
| Products Used in Photography and Cinematography |
945,685 |
1,469,091 |
55.35% |
| Glycerin, Vegetable Products, Degras and Fatty Substances |
353,093 |
576,123 |
63.16% |
| Processed Asbestos and Mixtures, Products |
5,705 |
8,884 |
55.72% |
| Total |
2,609,747,170 |
3,114,663,822 |
19.35% |
