Turkey’s jewellery exports plunge due to gold import quotas
The Turkish jewellery industry is facing significant challenges following the introduction of gold import quotas.
This measure has weakened the sector' s global competitiveness, and fresh data from the Jewellery Exporters' Association (MİB) reveals a dramatic drop in exports during the first half of 2026.
The total export volume for the jewellery sector fell by 33 per cent compared to the same period the previous year.
The decline is particularly marked within the export of finished gold jewellery.
For this value chain, which represents processed products with higher value, the fall was even steeper, reaching 62 per cent in the period from January to June 2026.
This indicates that the quotas primarily affect the most refined and competitive products from Turkish manufacturers. Gold import quotas limit access to raw materials for Turkish jewellery producers.
This can lead to higher purchase prices for gold, longer lead times, or reduced production capacity.
The consequence is that Turkish companies are struggling to compete on price and delivery time in the international market, which directly threatens their market share and profitability.
The negative effects extend beyond individual companies.
A healthy and growing export industry is crucial for Turkey' s economy, as it contributes foreign currency and creates jobs.
The sharp drop in jewellery exports indicates that this sector, which has previously been a strong contributor, is now facing significant headwinds.
This could potentially affect employment and investment within an important part of Turkey' s manufacturing industry.
Source: Haberglobal
