Türkiye-Saudi Trade Relations: What Turkish Firms Should Know

Red Dragon Office·Updated 2026-10-11

Few bilateral relationships in the region have turned around as visibly as the one between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. After a cool period in the late 2010s and early 2020s, high-level visits resumed in 2022 and were followed by financial, defence and commercial agreements. For Turkish exporters and investors the practical question is no longer whether the door is open, but how to use the momentum well.

This guide looks at the trade relationship itself: what changed, where Saudi demand matches Turkish strengths, which institutions and events matter, and how goods actually move. If you are looking for the basics of setting up a company, start with our guide for Turkish companies entering Saudi Arabia.

From reset to momentum: what changed

Since 2022 the two governments have exchanged presidential and crown-prince-level visits, revived the bilateral Saudi-Turkish Coordination Council, and signed agreements covering investment, energy, defence industry and finance. Public statements from both sides describe a clear goal of growing trade well beyond its current level, and Turkish trade data show that exports to the Kingdom rose sharply from the low point of the early 2020s.

Two broader developments support this. First, Vision 2030 is driving huge demand for construction, hospitality, food, manufacturing and services, much of it in areas where Turkish companies already compete regionally. Second, Türkiye and the Gulf Cooperation Council launched negotiations on a free trade agreement in 2024. Talks have continued since then, but the final scope and timing are not confirmed, so exporters should treat any tariff advantage as a future possibility rather than a planning assumption.

Headline figures on bilateral trade differ between Turkish and Saudi sources and between speeches and official statistics. For market sizing, use the Turkish Ministry of Trade, TÜİK and the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) rather than press quotes.

Where Saudi demand meets Turkish strengths

Saudi buyers tend to see Turkish products as a middle ground: closer to European quality and design, more competitive on price and lead time, and culturally familiar. That positioning works best in the following sectors:

• Building materials and construction inputs: steel products, cement and aggregates, marble and natural stone, ceramics, sanitaryware, insulation, doors, windows and façade systems.
• Food and agriculture: processed foods, confectionery, pasta, dried fruit and nuts, dairy and frozen products, all subject to SFDA rules (see our guide to Turkish food, textile and furniture exports).
• Furniture and interiors: residential, office and especially hotel fit-out, driven by tourism and hospitality projects.
• Textiles and apparel: home textiles, modest fashion, workwear and uniforms.
• Machinery, electrical equipment and auto parts: often regulated under SASO technical regulations and the SABER platform.
• Health, cosmetics and personal care: a growing category with strict SFDA requirements.
• Services and contracting: engineering, construction, fit-out and project management, covered in our guide for Turkish contractors.
• Consumer brands and restaurants: franchising of Turkish food and retail concepts (see Turkish franchises in Saudi Arabia).

Defence and aerospace cooperation has also deepened, but that is a government-to-government field with its own rules and is outside the scope of most commercial plans.

Frameworks and institutions worth knowing

• Saudi-Turkish Coordination Council: the government-level umbrella for political, economic and cultural cooperation.
• DEİK Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Business Council and its Saudi counterpart under the Federation of Saudi Chambers: the main private-sector channel for delegations, round tables and B2B meetings.
• Turkish commercial counsellors at the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah: market notes, buyer contacts and support for trade missions.
• Turkish exporters' associations (TİM and sector unions): organise national pavilions and procurement committees, often with state support for participation costs.
• MISA (Ministry of Investment): the Saudi entry point for investors, investment licensing and sector opportunities.
• Türkiye-GCC FTA negotiations: worth following, but check the current status before quoting it to customers.

Events and trade missions

Saudi Arabia now hosts a busy calendar of trade fairs and conferences, most of them in Riyadh and Jeddah. For Turkish companies the most relevant are usually construction shows such as Big 5 Construct Saudi, food and hospitality exhibitions, furniture and interiors fairs, and investment conferences such as the Future Investment Initiative. Dates, venues and organisers change from year to year, so confirm details directly with the organiser. Our business trips and exhibitions service covers visit planning, meeting scheduling and follow-up.

Business council round tables and sector delegations can be just as useful as large fairs, because they put you in a room with buyers who have already signalled interest in Turkish suppliers.

Logistics routes: how Turkish goods reach Saudi Arabia

Whatever the route, clearance happens through ZATCA's customs procedures and the FASAH platform. Regulated products need their SABER certificates, SFDA registration or other approvals in place before shipment, not after arrival.

What it means for Turkish exporters now

• Fix compliance first. Check whether your product falls under SASO technical regulations (SABER conformity), SFDA (food registration, cosmetics, medical devices) or halal requirements, and prepare Arabic labelling.
• Choose the right local partner. A distributor with the right channel coverage matters more than the biggest name. See our distributor search service.
• Price for the Saudi market. Quote in SAR or USD, account for 15% VAT, freight and duties, and be ready for longer payment terms with large retailers and contractors.
• Think about stock in the Kingdom. Local warehousing shortens delivery times and helps you win project and retail business.
• Register as a vendor. Large buyers and project owners often require supplier registration before they can issue a purchase order.

What it means for investors

The policy direction favours companies that produce, employ and invest locally. A Saudi entity licensed by MISA, an industrial license from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, a site in a MODON industrial city or a special economic zone, and a local content certificate from LCGPA can all improve your position in government and giga-project supply chains. Companies seeking government contracts should also understand the regional headquarters (RHQ) rules.

Investors should plan for Saudization (Nitaqat) quotas, GOSI contributions and Qiwa-based work permits from day one, because these shape staffing costs and timelines.

Realities to keep in mind

The market is competitive. Turkish firms compete with Chinese suppliers on price, with European brands on prestige and with Gulf and Egyptian companies on proximity. Payment cycles on projects can be long, regulations are updated frequently, and some giga-project timelines have been re-phased. None of this cancels the opportunity, but it rewards companies that come with patience, local presence and well-prepared paperwork.

How RDO helps: RDO is a Saudi business-services office. We handle company setup and MISA licensing, product registration (SFDA, SABER), vendor registration, distributor search and visit planning for Turkish companies. We work in English with Turkish teams, and arrange certified translation of documents when required. Message us on WhatsApp or see our Türkiye-Saudi business page.

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