Türkiye has established itself as a new, attractive, robust, and growing emerging economy in the region. Due to its unique location, which bridges Asia to Europe, the country offers an ideal condition for importing and exporting goods. Türkiye has a dual identity in the global petrochemical supply chain. It’s one of the biggest importer countries of raw materials, and at the same time, the government policies and efforts led it to become a competitive exporter of finished products.
There are serious efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petrochemical products and ramp up local production capacity. Türkiye’s industries are heavily related to petrochemical goods, and they have a significant impact on every sector, such as construction, manufacturing, textiles, automotive, etc. Thanks to the government’s multi-billion-dollar investments and support, Türkiye expects a bright petrochemical market in 2025, reflecting its future dynamic landscape. In this blog post, we want a data-backed overview of Türkiye’s Petrochemical Import and Export in 2025.
Türkiye’s Petrochemical Trade Overview
Türkiye’s chemical industry earned $30.8 billion from exporting petrochemicals, and the leading sector was plastics, with a share of $9.5 billion in 2024, a 7% increase from the previous year. The country is expected to achieve $35 billion in exports by the end of 2025.
| Market Segment | Key Players | Status 2025 | Key Developments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyolefins (PE, PP) | Petkim (SOCAR), SASA, Gübretaş | High Import Dependency | SOCAR & SASA expanding local production |
| Intermediate Chemicals | Eti Maden, Toros Tarım, Rönesans | Limited domestic production | Targeted by Yumurtalık mega investment |
| Finished Plastic Goods | Korozo, Superfilm, Sarten | Export growth +7% YoY | EU and US demand rise due to packaging boom |
| PTA (Terephthalic Acid) | SASA Polyester | Local production starting | Capacity of 1.6 million tons planned |
| Resin & Polymer Compounds | Ravago, Polisan, Aksa Akrilik | Steady Growth | Investment in advanced materials |
| Specialty Chemicals | Organik Kimya, Ak-Kim | Growing R&D investment | Boost in adhesives, coatings, personal care |
Petrochemical Import Statistics of Türkiye (2024–2025)
Türkiye is ranked after China and India as 2nd largest net importer of petrochemicals globally. The country’s most imported products were ethylene polymers, Propylene glycol, Propylene glycol, etc.
| Year | Product | Import Volume (tons) | Import Value (USD million) | Key Countries of Origin | Duty / Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Polyethylene (PE) | 1.2 million | 1,200 | Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran | 6.5% import duty |
| 2024 | Polypropylene (PP) | 1.05 million | 1,350 | Saudi Arabia, South Korea | FTA with GCC under discussion |
| 2024 | Terephthalic Acid (PTA) | 300,000 | 320 | China, India | SASA to begin local production |
| 2024 | Ethylene & Derivatives | 400,000 | 420 | EU, Russia | Strategic raw material |
| 2024 | Methanol | 150,000 | 180 | Trinidad, Qatar | Used in resins and plastics |
| 2025* | All Above (Projected) | +5–7% Increase | +8–10% Growth | GCC to gain larger share | Pending trade agreement impact |
Petrochemical Import Statistics of Türkiye (2024–2025)
Türkiye is ranked after China and India as 2nd largest net importer of petrochemicals globally. The country’s most imported products were ethylene polymers, Propylene glycol, Propylene glycol, etc.
| Year | Product Segment | Export Volume (tons) | Export Value (USD million) | Major Export Destinations | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Finished Plastic Goods | 2.3 million | 9,500 | Netherlands, Romania, Germany | +7% |
| 2024 | Inorganic Chemicals | 900,000 | 2,900 | North Africa, Germany, Italy | +4% |
| 2024 | Fertilizers | 480,000 | 2,600 | Iraq, Bulgaria, Egypt | +6% |
| 2024 | Industrial Resins | 300,000 | 1,800 | France, Spain, UK | +3% |
| 2025* | Total Exports (Target) | ~4.5 million | 11,000–11,500 | Expanded EU & MENA market share | +10–12% |
2025 Outlook
There are going to be notable changes in Türkiye’s petrochemical import patterns in 2025 because of global supply dynamics, including:
- Increased capacity in China
- Competition between Saudi Arabia and the USA
Türkiye’s government’s main goal for 2025 is to reduce its import dependency, which can be made available through strategic investments. For example, SOCAR Türkiye aims to make investments of approximately $7 billion in new facilities for polyolefin production to expand capacity at its Petkim unit.