摘要：This paper analyzes the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the exports of Turkey. A data set compiled from Turkish Exporters Assembly’s export database is used for our study. The research is based on the applications of selected trade indices such as the sectoral Hirschmann index, sectoral trade concentration ratio, sectoral trade intensity and technological classifications on Turkish sectoral exports during the outbreak. Our results indicate that Turkish sectoral Hirschmann index which amounted to 0.66 between March and May 2019 decreased to 0.62 in the same time frame in 2020 demonstrating that the sectoral exports have broadened the export base, and Turkey currently has a more balanced sectoral export dispersion. Because of the outbreak, the automotive and textiles exports, which can be considered as the engines of Turkish economy, plummeted by 53% and 45% respectively, while the exports of fresh fruits and vegetables increased by 14%. Investigations of trade concentrations and technological intensities of the exports reveal that the shares of high tech and medium-high tech products in the whole export basket decreased and Turkey’s dependence particularly on exports of automotive and textiles plummeted during Covid-19 crisis. Sectoral trade intensity findings infer that some international markets like Ukraine have become more important for selected Turkish exports. As Turkish economy reopened as of June 1, 2020, increasing world demand compounded by the recent depreciation of the Turkish lira against foreign currencies can create a new opportunity for Turkey to rebalance her economy in the future and pivot to a high-tech, surplus-generating export base by benefiting more from the re-organization of global and regional value chains while mitigating economic impacts of the crisis.
