Investigation on Aydın’s passion for shoes

In Aydın, one of the leading provinces in the country in terms of mining, textile, and chemical exports in addition to agriculture and forestry products, the shoe imports made in 2023 drew attention. Gökhan Maraş, the Chairman of the Aydın Chamber of Industry (AYSO), stated that they found this shoe import, the sender of which they did not know, remarkable.

During a press conference organized by the AYSO Board of Directors, both the activities of the chamber and the export and import figures of Aydın were evaluated. Maraş, noting that Aydın is a leading province in agriculture and mining, especially in figs and chestnuts, with significant export income both in the country and globally, expressed that there was a remarkable shoe import in the import expenses of 2023. Based on the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute, Maraş stated, ‘Our province, Aydın, made an export of 1 billion 661 million 614 thousand 350 dollars in 2023 while importing 628 million 233 thousand 228 dollars. Out of this import figure, 20 million 857 thousand 548 dollars are recorded as shoe imports. This figure seemed quite interesting to us. However, the imports listed.’

In 2023, Aydın made exports as follows: 546 million 941 thousand 260 dollars in food products and beverages, 313 million 4 thousand 743 dollars in machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified, 44 million 493 thousand 549 dollars in motor vehicles and trailers, 126 million 752 thousand 357 dollars in agriculture and animal husbandry, 110 million 944 thousand 700 dollars in non-metallic mineral products, 104 million 644 thousand 768 dollars in stone quarrying and other mining, 72 million 339 thousand 582 dollars in the fishing sector, 69 million 339 thousand 298 dollars in chemical substances and products, 38 million 786 thousand 639 dollars in paper and paper products, 31 million 295 thousand 622 dollars in textile products, and 103 million 71 thousand 832 dollars in other sectors, totaling 1 billion 661 million 614 thousand 350 dollars.

Shoe imports stood out as the most remarkable item

On the other hand, the import items of Aydın in 2023 were as follows: 106 million 507 thousand 94 dollars in motorcycles, 58 million 785 thousand 741 dollars in motor vehicles and engines, 30 million 597 thousand 54 dollars in pumps-compressors-faucets and valves, 26 million 510 thousand 929 dollars in agricultural and forestry machinery, 21 million 178 thousand 513 dollars in household appliances not elsewhere classified, 20 million 996 thousand 540 dollars in measuring-control-testing-navigation and similar purpose instruments and devices, 20 million 857 thousand 548 dollars in shoes, 20 million 696 thousand 12 dollars in sand-clay and stone quarrying, 19 million 103 thousand 846 dollars in other general purpose machinery, 18 million 711 thousand 825 dollars in cattle-sheep-goat-horse-donkey-mule and similar, and 284 million 288 thousand 126 dollars in other sectors, amounting to a total of 628 million 233 thousand 228 dollars imported last year.