Turkey says imports at $238bn in 2011

ISTANBUL: Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Thursday Turkish imports reached $238 billion in 2011, compared with a level of $185.5 billion a year earlier.

In the January-November 2011 period, Turkey's exports rose 20 percent to $122.5 billion from a year ago, and imports rose 33.5 percent to $220.2 billion, according to the Turkish Statistics Institute.

Speaking in a conference in Ankara, Caglayan also said Turkish exports rose 13 percent to $8.3 billion between Jan. 1-Jan. 25.