ISTANBUL

Türkiye's exports totaled $21.06 billion in February, up 1.6% year-on-year, the Turkish trade minister said on Tuesday.

Omer Bolat said in a press conference in the capital Ankara that the country achieved to increase exports despite of difficult international economic and geopolitical issuues.

He said Türkiye's exports rose by $336 million year-on-year in February, but the increase could have been even better.

He said: "There is a $415 million decrease in processed gold and jewelry exports, $515 million decrease in petroleum oils.

"A decrease of approximately $1 billion in these two categories has hindered our ability to break major records."

During the January-February period, the country's exports amounted to $41.4 billion, down 1.2% on a yearly basis, he added.

Meanwhile, the country's imports totaled $30.27 billion in February, up 6.1%, and $58.96 billion in the first two months, up 3.1%, the data from Trade Ministry showed.