In the first six months of 2023 Turkey’s exports of natural stones decreased in value by 13.4% from the same period last year, amounting to $US907 million. Even more marked was the drop in volumes exported – about 2.9 million tons -, down by 19.8% (Turkstat data).
We remind readers that, after considerable growth in 2021 (+20.5 % in value from the previous year), in 2022 the country’s exports of natural stones had confirmed a full recoup of pre-pandemic levels (+0.2%), reaching $US 2.093 million.
A look at the composition of Turkish stone exports shows that even in the first half of 2023 there were fewer foreign sales of raw materials (including marbles and travertines), which altogether registered -6.9% for a total of $US285 million. Even larger was the downturn in exports of finished and semi-finished stone products – which in 2022 had increased by 11% – which concerned both marble (-10.2% for 434.5 million) and above all travertines (-24-9% for 138 million).
The market ranking for Turkish stone materials in this first half of 2023 saw China surpassing (with $US189, despite a backstepping of 9.6%) the United States, whose imports dropped by 30.1% (to $US183 million), followed by India (at 61.1 million) and Saudi Arabia (at 55.3 million).
We note that in the first six months of 2023 Turkey’s imports of Italian stone-working technologies grew by 14.8% for a total of 20.1 million euros, giving it tenth place among sector buyers (CONFINDUSTRIA MARMOMACCHINE Studies Center data).
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