The impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on the natural stone and mining industry in Turkey are being monitored closely, as the country exports natural stones to China worth approximately $700 million annually. China is Turkey’s biggest buyer of marble and travertine. But how has the virus affected Turkey’s exports to China in numbers?
Stonenews.eu, after collecting, studying and editing the statistical data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute, is presenting the country’s marble products export growth to China, both for blocks and slabs as well as finished marble products, examining the value and quantity of exports, in February 2020 compared to January 2020.
The table above show Turkey’s marble exports growth to China in February 2020 in comparison to January. There is a massive decrease both in marble blocks and slabs and finished marble products exports, in value and quantity of exports, mainly due to the closure of marble processing factories as well as the disruption of loading and unloading at ports and the halt of construction projects in China, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Recently, the Aegean Mine Exporters Union Chairman said that exports from the Aegean region, which tionally sends the most natural stones to China, decreased in February by 54.5%. On the other hand, Turkey’s mining industry sets goal to reach $5 billion in exports this year via digital marketing and other technical tools, according to the head of the Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association (İMİB), who also noted that exports to China reached $1.34 billion in 2019, including $695 million in natural stones.
*Due to consistent data flow, statistics may alter during the year
