Turkey's bus, minibus and midibus exports increased by 13.98% in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2021.

The sector, which increased its export sales from $509.9 million in January through June last year to $581.2 million in the same period this year, sent buses, minibuses and midibuses to 68 countries, according to data from the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters' Association.

During the said period, exports of buses, minibuses and midibuses to France, which is the country with the most foreign sales, increased by 18.23%. Exports to France, which were $125.6 million in the January-June period of last year, increased to $148.5 million in the first half of 2022.

The exports to Portugal, which ranks second, reached $62.8 million from $2.2 million. Exports to Germany, which follows Portugal, meanwhile, decreased by 18.61% from $68.2 million to $55.5 million.

Bus, minibus and midibus exports to the Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan market increased from $4.2 million to $41.4 million. Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan became the fourth market in which the sector made exports in the first half of the year.

Bus exports to Italy, which ranks fifth, increased by 3.5% from $35.8 million to $37.1 million.

In the first half of the year, compared to the same period of 2021, the United Kingdom ranked sixth with a 281.18% increase and $30.3 million, Romania ranked seventh with a 65.91% increase and $17.9 million, Czechia ranked eighth with an increase of 123.1% and $17.8 million, Poland ranked ninth with a 345.22% increase and $15.9 million. Spain, on the other hand, was recorded as the 10th country to which buses, minibuses and midibuses were exported the most, with an increase of 105.32% and $14.4 million.

The export sales worth $367,000 to the U.S., which is the 11th country with the most bus exports, in the January-June period last year increased to $14.3 million in the same period of this year.

Bus, minibus and midibus exports to Egypt reached $5.2 million from $73,000./Daily Sabah