During the last session of the SteelOrbis Fall 2013 Conference & 69th IREPAS Meeting held in Istanbul, Uğur Dalbeler, chairman of the
billet suppliers' committee, said that Turkish
billet export prices have not been competitive in recent times due to upward pressure coming from
scrap prices, leading to a 40 percent year-on-year decrease in
Turkey's steel
billet exports so far in the current year.
According to figures provided by the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association,
Turkey's steel
billet exports this year up to September 22 amounted to 1.36 million metric tons, decreasing by 39.8 percent year on year.
On the other hand, Mr. Dalbeler said that steel
billet export suppliers from the CIS have more competitive prices and increased sales to
Turkey as a result, also given the higher
billet prices in
Turkey.
Dalbeler stated that the situation in the US market is now good, while the euro zone is reviving slowly in terms of steel market activity.
"After a difficult year in 2013, we hope to start seeing those old good days by 2015 and 2016," he concluded.