Limited pandemic impact on Turkey’s automotive sector expected: Trade group

The turnover loss of the Turkish automotive sector due to the coronavirus crisis will be limited to $5 billion, according to the Transport Vehicles Supply Industry Association (TAYSAD).

Turkey will produce between 250,000 and 300,000 fewer vehicles this year because domestic and foreign demand has fallen drastically, TAYSAD Vice Chair Kemal Yazıcı told reporters in a video conference.

"An important source of income for the automotive supply industry firms is the export of [vehicle] parts. In this area, the total loss was around 19 percent in March, but we expect it to rise to some 70 percent in April," he said.

"The turnover loss of the supply industry caused by the pandemic will be around $3 billion," he added, pointing to the decrease in exports and domestic market sales.

"When the entire automotive industry is included in the calculation, we can say that the total turnover loss will reach around $5 billion," said Yazıcı.

Meanwhile, Turkey could replace China to supply parts to European producers in the near future, TAYSAD Chair Alper Kanca said in the video conference.

"Several major industry firms in Europe turned to Turkey when they weren't able to get products from China. European producers started asking Turkish counterparts to supply parts they couldn't procure from China. However, trade [broke down] when the pandemic spread to Europe. All the production and sales came to a halt," Kanca said.

"The coronavirus pandemic suddenly shook all [aspects] of international trade. Now, for a period of time, the most reliable and closest suppliers will be preferred. Maybe the deepest effect of this crisis will be localization. Nobody can take a chance on producing something in 20 various countries and then assembling...