Turkey’s auto production crashed 65.8% year on year in January, with exports falling by a similar level.
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According to the Turkish Automotive Industry Association (OSD), the economic crisis has taken a heavy toll. Exports fell 64% in January. Some 80% of the country’s production is sold abroad.
Earlier this month, the OSD said it expects 2009 exports and production to fall 25% and domestic automotive sales to shrink 20%.
The OSD predicted that the auto market would start recovering in the final quarter of 2009 under the most optimistic assumption. It has called for the government to introduce measures to support consumer purchasing power and encouraging public sector buying of domestic cars and supporting exports.
Much of Turkey’s vehicle production is exported to the EU and some forecasts for the European car market envisage it declining 20% in 2009.
In 2008, total vehicle exports from Turkey rose by 11% from 820,370 to 910,270 units according to the OSD.
