$13B trade: Tukiye's exports dominate Iraqi market

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq is a major market for Turkiye, standing out as a top destination for multiple products, an economic expert told Shafaq News on Monday.

According to Manar Al-Obaidi, Turkish exports to Iraq span a wide range of goods, including meat, grains, dairy, wood products, furniture, soap, and footwear. Iraq also ranks second, third, or fourth in other sectors such as fruits, vegetables, cocoa, carpets, oils, chemicals, and electrical appliances.

“The strong presence of Turkish goods reflects high demand in Iraq and illustrates how much the country relies on Turkiye for everyday food and household products,” Al-Obaidi noted.

While this dependence ensures a steady flow of goods, it also tilts Iraq’s trade balance in Turkiye’s favor. Yet the size of Iraq’s market, he added, gives the country leverage to negotiate better prices, attract Turkish factories to operate locally, and encourage Turkiye to open its markets to Iraqi products, including raw materials and domestically made goods.

“The Iraqi market provides real negotiating power to turn the trade relationship into a more balanced exchange,” Al-Obaidi observed.

According to a 2025 report by TURKSTAT, Turkiye’s shipments to Iraq fell from roughly $13.75 billion in 2022 to $12.76 billion in 2023, before rebounding to about $13.03 billion in 2024.