According to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), in February this year Turkey's total hot rolled coil (HRC) exports amounted to 181,432 metric tons, up 59 percent compared to the previous month and more than triple compared to February 2012. February was the seventh consecutive month of month-on-month upward movement in Turkey's hot rolled coil exports, with the February volume constituting the highest level since May 2011.
The strong increase in Turkish February HRC exports was mainly due to the rise in exports to the European Union, amounting to 165,701 mt, double compared to the previous month and up strongly compared to the 25,449 mt recorded in the same month of 2012. On the other hand, the US which was Turkey's second largest export destination for hot rolled coil in January this year, did not import any HRC from Turkey in February.
In the first two months of the year, Turkey's hot rolled coil exports amounted to 295,377 mt, more than triple compared to the corresponding period of 2012. As can be seen in the chart below, the EU was the largest HRC export destination for Turkey in the first two months of the current year.
Meanwhile, in February of the current year Turkey's hot rolled plate exports totaled 4,804 mt, decreasing by 28.2 percent, while its hot rolled sheet exports rose nine percent to 11,714 mt, both month on month. On year-on-year basis, in January the country's hot rolled plate exports fell by 84.65 percent, while its hot rolled sheet exports were down by 32.4 percent.