Agricultural Sector Grows 13.3% in Second Quarter
· Milliyet Ekonomi
According to TurkStat data, while the Turkish economy grew by 2.3% in the second quarter of the year, the agricultural sector, supported by favorable weather conditions, made the strongest contribution to growth with an increase of 13.3%.
Second Quarter Growth Data Announced
According to the second quarter growth data for 2026 shared by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the Turkish economy grew by 2.3% year-on-year. Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz, in his assessment of the data, which comes at a time of ongoing global and regional risks, stated:
"In an environment where multifaceted crisis dynamics are evident in the global economy, war and geopolitical tensions in our region are intensifying, and growth rates are being revised downwards globally and among our trade partners, the Turkish economy, with the contribution of implemented policies, is maintaining its macroeconomic stability and dynamism and sustaining its resilience against global uncertainties."
According to TurkStat data, the seasonally and calendar-adjusted quarterly growth was 1.1%, while the annualized gross domestic product rose to $1.71 trillion.
13.3% Growth in the Agricultural Sector
Among the gross domestic product components calculated by the production method, the most striking performance was in the agricultural sector. Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz, pointing to the high increase in agricultural activities, made the following assessment:
"The agricultural sector, which showed a strong recovery in the previous quarter with the contribution of favorable weather conditions, has gained momentum by growing at a rate of 13.3% in this period."
The favorable climate and seasonal conditions directly boosted agricultural yield and production volume, making a significant contribution to national income.
Outlook in Industrial and Services Sectors
Production in other main sectors of the economy presented a balanced picture. According to TurkStat data, the services sector grew by 1.6%, while construction activities within this group contracted by 1.9%. The industrial sector, recovering after a previous slowdown in external demand, grew by 2.4%. On the expenditure side, total consumption expenditures increased by 2.7%, gross fixed capital formation increased by 0.6%, and machinery-equipment investments increased by 1.6%. Construction investments decreased by 0.9% with the completion of construction activities in the earthquake-affected region.
Foreign Trade Balance and Investments
Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz stated that foreign trade dynamics supported growth and shared the following information:
"On the foreign trade side, as the 6.4% decline in imports was more pronounced than the 3.4% contraction in exports, the contribution of net goods and services exports to growth was positive at 0.6 percentage points, thus foreign trade became a factor supporting growth this quarter."
The fact that the decrease in imports was higher than the contraction in exports moved the net foreign trade contribution into the positive territory.
Medium-Term Program and Targets
Following a growth performance of 2.5% in the first six months of the year, economic management continues to prioritize its objectives. Touching upon the roadmap for the coming period, Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz stated:
"While the goal of permanently ensuring price stability will be maintained in the coming period, policies aimed at developing technological capacity in industry, strengthening economic resilience, and supporting high value-added production will continue to be implemented in coordination."
It was announced that measures strengthening macroeconomic stability within the framework of the Medium-Term Program (2026–2028) will be resolutely continued.