Turkish industrial capacity usage lower in September

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA

Turkey’s manufacturing industry's capacity utilization rate dropped on a monthly basis in September, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) announced on Monday.

The capacity utilization rate fell to 76.2 percent in the month, down 1.6 points from August, the bank reported.

It revealed the seasonally-adjusted capacity utilization rate also decreased by 1.8 points from last month to 75.8 percent this month.

All of the main industrial groupings saw a decline in capacity utilization during the same period, the central bank said.

On the main industrial groupings side, the highest capacity usage was seen in investment goods with 76.4 percent while the lowest was seen in food and beverages, standing at 70.60 percent.

Among over 30 sectors, leather and related products manufacturers saw the lowest rate in April -- 57.6 percent -- while coke and refined petroleum products sector manufacturers used 87.8 percent of their capacity, which was the highest level, CBRT said.

The data are based on responses given to the Central Bank's "Business Tendency Survey" by some 2,089 companies operating in the manufacturing industry.

In 2017, the average capacity usage in the manufacturing industry was 78.5 percent. Over the past five years, the highest figure was seen last November with 79.9 percent, and the lowest was seen at 73.5 percent in February 2013.