Product and Country Concentration In Foreign Trade: The Case of Turkey (2003 ? 2013)

Foreign trade is playing a major role in Turkey’s economic development and prosperity. For this reason it is required to provide diversification of export products for obtaining the expected return on foreign trade. The aim of this study is to analyse the developments in Turkey’s foreign trade diversification. In this context Gini-Hirschman concentration method was made use of and concentration coefficients were calculated for import and export on the basis of both country and product making use of the concentration made. Statistical findings obtained on product basis have revealed that although diversification of products exported increased in both periods this increase did not realize at the expected rate. On the other hand, the change in the diversification of products imported is bigger than export but change occurred in the direction of decrease in diversification rather than in the direction of increase. Country based concentration decreased in terms of both export and import.