As of November 2023, Turkey is home to 1,086,670 registered companies. The manufacturing sector leads in numbers with 241,362 companies, followed by wholesale trade and services, with 197,476 and 187,325 businesses respectively.
Agricultural Sector
Agriculture remains a crucial pillar of Turkey’s economy, making the country one of the world’s top ten agricultural producers. Major products include wheat, sugar beet, milk, poultry, cotton, vegetables, and fruit. Turkey is the world’s leading producer of hazelnuts, apricots, and oregano.
Half of Turkey’s land is dedicated to agriculture, which employs roughly 15% of the workforce. The sector contributes about 10% of the country’s exports and over 5% of the national GDP. In 2024, over 380 billion lira has been allocated to agricultural subsidies.
Despite being a major food producer, Turkey relies on imports for wheat, much of which comes from Russia and Ukraine. It is the fourth-largest supplier of vegetables and the seventh-largest supplier of fruit to the European Union. Turkey aims to extend the EU Customs Union Agreement to cover agricultural products.
Nearly half of Turkey’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are linked to livestock, primarily cattle. According to the World Bank, Turkey’s agricultural sector needs to enhance its climate adaptation strategies and improve technical efficiency. Strategic planning falls under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, but as of now, no specific plan has been released for 2024 onward. Almost all seeds used in Turkey are produced domestically.
Industrial Sector
Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances
Turkey’s Vestel ranks as the largest television manufacturer in Europe, producing about one-quarter of all TVs sold across the continent in 2006. By early 2005, Vestel and fellow Turkish electronics brand Beko collectively accounted for more than half of all TVs produced in Europe. Another Turkish brand, Profilo Telra, was the third-largest TV manufacturer in Europe by 2005.
Textiles and Clothing
The Turkish textile industry is the world’s fifth-largest exporter, contributing approximately 10% of Turkey’s GDP and employing 750,000 people as of 2018. In 2006, Turkey’s clothing exports reached $13.98 billion, with more than $10.67 billion (76.33%) going to the European Union.
Motor Vehicles and Automotive Products
The automotive sector is a cornerstone of Turkey’s manufacturing industry, producing 1,352,648 motor vehicles in 2022, making it the 13th largest vehicle producer globally. Turkish automotive brands, such as TEMSA, Otokar, and BMC, are well-known manufacturers of vans, buses, and trucks. Togg (Turkey’s Automobile Joint Venture Group Inc.) is Turkey’s pioneering all-electric vehicle company.
