Business · Trade · 5 hrs ago
Turkish Carpet Exports Face Rising Shipping Costs
Turkey’s carpet exports brought in $2.017 billion, with machine-made carpets accounting for most of the earnings.
The United States was the largest country market, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
The sector had expected exports to grow by 15% to 20%, but shipping problems and global disruptions held back growth.
These include tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine war and difficulties moving goods.
Container shipping to several Middle Eastern destinations rose from $1,500 to as much as $10,000, according to sector head İskender Kaplan.
Delays at border crossings and crowded warehouses have also disrupted deliveries and production.
The sector lowered its $3.5 billion year-end target, but no revised target was provided.
Turkish carpet exports generated $2.017 billion, while rising logistics costs and other disruptions constrained growth, sector chief İskender Kaplan said.
Shipping costs for container deliveries to Qatar, Dubai, Oman and Kuwait rose from $1,500 to as much as $10,000.
The sector had expected export growth of 15% to 20%, but revised its $3.5 billion year-end target downward.
The United States was the largest country market, with exports worth $448.037 million.
Kaplan said delays in transit visa procedures for road shipments through Saudi Arabia left trucks waiting at border crossings and warehouses full.
- Who
- Turkey’s carpet export sector, represented by İskender Kaplan, head of the TİM Carpet Sector Board.
- What
- Carpet exporters faced higher logistics costs and shipment delays, prompting a downward revision of the sector’s year-end export target.
- When
- The article was published on October 20, 2026. The reporting period for the export figures is not stated.
- Where
- Turkey, particularly on shipping routes to Qatar, Dubai, Oman and Kuwait and road routes through Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- Rising shipping costs, logistics problems, developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the Russia-Ukraine war limited expected export growth.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The sector set a year-end export target of $3.5 billion.
The sector revised its year-end target downward.
- Total carpet export revenue
- $2,017,127,000
- Machine carpets
- $1,563,158,000 in exports
- Container shipping costs
- Rose from $1,500 to as much as $10,000
- Largest country market
- United States, with $448,037,000 in exports
- Initial year-end export target
- $3.5 billion
What people are saying
The carpet sector always works with a focus on growth. But if we had not faced major problems with raw materials, commodities and, most importantly, logistics, we would be at least 15% higher today. Because of the disruptions, we had to revise downward our year-end export target, initially set at $3.5 billion.