Turkey’s textile industry recorded more than an 8 per cent increase year-on-year in exports, hitting $1.81 billion in July.

An Anadolu Agency (AA) report published Tuesday, which cited Uludağ Exporters Union (UIB) and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data, showed that the textile and ready-to-wear industry exported to more than 150 countries in July.

Meanwhile, the total exports reached $8.79 billion in the first half of 2020, posting a 15 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.

Germany ranked first among the recipient countries of Turkish textile exports in July with $349.1 million, a 15 per cent increase year-on-year. Spain and the U.K. followed Germany with $248 million and $183 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, exports to the U.S. increased by a whopping 53 per cent in the same period compared to the previous year and reached $109 million.

Turkey’s overall exports reached the highest level of 2020 as they hit over $15 billion amid a rapid recovery from the pandemic.