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Türkiye's white goods exports fell 19% year-on-year to 8.3 million units in the first half of 2026, extending a years-long downturn as manufacturers warned that rising production costs and weakening competitiveness continue to weigh on overseas sales.
The Turkish White Goods Manufacturers' Association (TURKBESD) said domestic sales across six major appliance categories declined 7% to 4.7 million units, while production dropped 15% to 12.8 million units. Total sales fell 15% to 13 million units during the January-June period.
The weakness carried into June, with domestic sales declining 15% year-on-year to 561,000 units and exports falling 11% to 1.2 million units. Production remained broadly unchanged at 1.7 million units, while total sales slipped 12% to 2 million units.
Among the six product categories, refrigerator exports recorded the steepest decline in the first half, dropping 28% year-on-year to 1.5 million units.
Washing machine exports fell 27% to 1.4 million units, tumble dryer exports declined 23% to 1 million units, freezer exports dropped 18% to 358,000 units, dishwasher exports slipped 15% to 1.8 million units, and oven exports eased 5% to 2.2 million units.
On the domestic market, washing machine sales rose 2% to 1.2 million units, while refrigerator sales fell 11% to 1 million units.
Dishwasher sales declined 2% to 883,944 units, oven sales slipped 3% to 446,675 units, freezer sales dropped 25% to 493,918 units, and tumble dryer sales decreased 8% to 694,699 units.
Türkiye remains Europe's largest and the world's second-largest white goods manufacturing hub, accounting for 7% of global production.
The sector has an annual production capacity of 29 million units, directly employs about 60,000 people, supports around 600,000 indirect jobs, and exported approximately 20.2 million units in 2025, according to the association.
"Our industry has long emphasized that weakening competitiveness and the additional costs and burdens created by foreign trade policies are among the main reasons behind the contraction in export markets. We now see the decline in exports continuing," TURKBESD President Alper Sengul said in a statement.
TURKBESD Vice Chairperson Mehmet Yavuz pointed to anti-dumping duties on flat steel products, a key raw material for appliance manufacturers, as a major factor driving up production costs and weakening export competitiveness.
Türkiye imposed a 3.95% anti-dumping duty on imports of cold-rolled stainless steel flat products from China, adding to an existing 12% customs tariff and bringing the total levy to nearly 16%.
"Every additional increase in production costs affects our export competitiveness," Yavuz said, adding that while weak global demand and uncertainty in export markets have also contributed to the slowdown, higher input costs remain one of the industry's biggest challenges.
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