FOREIGN TRADE


SCOPE

Foreign trade statistics include imports,imports with waiver and exports. Import figures include all direct imports to the country for domestic consumption also goods entering the customs area for temporary admission transit transshipment or to be stored in a bonded warehouse and then offered to the domestic market after modification of their import status Exports include goods produced domestically.

Foreign trade statistics exclude export and import data obtained from duty-free zones and duty-free shops.

Items not considered as imports include;

-Border and coastal trade,
-Transit and reexport trade
-Imports with waiver by temporary admission or by temporary exemption.
-Imports is return for temporary exports.
-Goods returned and
-Import of monetary based gold.

Items not considered as imports include;

-Border and coastal trade
-Transit and reexport trade
-Exports with waiver
-Temporary exports,
-Goods returned to their place of origin and
-Exports of imports with waiver by temporary admission or by
temporary exemption.

EXTERNAL TRADE INDICES

External trade indices are indicators of changes in quantity and prices of imports and exports as regards over to time. They are used for directing production and international trade, comparing national and international price series, and following changes of major goods and services exported and imported within foreign trade.

To calculate the import and export indices,SIS used 1989 import and export statistics. Out of 407 selected items, 66.12 % were of export value and out of 468 items, 61.74 % represented the import value from the 1989 foreign trade statistics.

The Fischer formula was used to calculate price indexes. The Laspeyres formula was used to calculate quantity indexes.

TERMS OF TRADE

Terms of trade are the ratio of the price index of exports to the price index of imports. By using terms of trade it is possible to determine whether foreign trade for a country has developed positively. Generally, an increase in the prices of exports, a decrease or relatively low increase, or on change in the prices of imports mean that the terms of trade is favorable to a country.

Terms of trade also include some deficiencies. For example, a decline in the prices of exports may be due to an increase in output or a change in quantity. A price decrease due to an increase in output is favourable to the country, authough it is defined as unfavourable in terms of trade.

QUANTITY: The unit of quantity used in the foreign trade statistics in general is the net weight expressed in kilograms (kg). In addition to this, according to the kind and characteristics of the commodities, other units for quantity, such as head, number tonnage, mư, and m3 are also used.

VALUE: In foreign trade statistics, import values are shown as CIF (cost, insurance, freight) and export values are shown as FOB (free on board), in Turkish Liras and US Dollars.

HARMONIZED SYSTEM NOMENCLATURE: Since 1.1.1989, we have used the Harmonized commodity description and coding system which is based on six-digit coding system, Instead of Brussels Tariff Nomenclature.

NEC : Not elsewhere classified.