In August this year, Turkey's hot rolled coil (HRC) exports amounted to 259,834 metric tons, up by 101.4 percent compared to July and down by 1.1 percent year on year, according to the preliminary data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). Meanwhile, the revenue generated by these exports totaled $162.82 million, up by 100.5 percent compared to the previous month and up by 10.3 percent year on year.
In the first eight months of this year, Turkey's HRC exports amounted to 1.73 million mt, down 13.2 percent, while the value of these exports decreased by 11.3 percent to $1.03 billion, both year on year.
Turkey's hot rolled coil exports - last 12 months
In the given period, Turkey's largest HRC export destination was Italy with 412,530 mt, down by 27.4 percent year on year. Italy was followed by Spain with 237,527 mt, down by 29.7 percent, and Libya with 93,149 mt, up by 39.9 percent year on year.
By destination, Italy and Spain maintained their positions as Turkey's two largest HRC export markets, although both recorded significant declines over the period. Exports to Italy decreased by 27.4 percent year on year to 412,530 mt, while exports to Spain fell by 29.7 percent to 237,527 mt. However, August shipments to Spain surged by 127.9 percent year on year to 66,611 mt, standing out as one of the main drivers of the monthly recovery.
By contrast, strong increases in alternative markets helped limit the overall decline in exports. Shipments to Bulgaria rose by 340.7 percent to 92,410 mt, exports to the United Kingdom increased by 422.5 percent to 71,715 mt, shipments to North Macedonia climbed by 133.9 percent to 69,711 mt, and exports to Morocco rose by 162 percent to 66,779 mt. Exports to Libya also increased by 39.9 percent to 93,149 mt. Overall, the data indicate that losses in Turkey's major traditional EU markets continued, while strong growth in the Balkans, North Africa and the United Kingdom supported export performance, particularly in August.
Turkey's top 10 HRC export destinations in the January-August period:
| Country | Amount (mt) | |||||
| January-August 2026 | January-August 2025 | Y-o-y change (%) | August 2026 | August 2025 | Y-o-y change (%) | |
| Italy | 412,530 | 568,247 | -27.4 | 64,330 | 97,242 | -33.8 |
| Spain | 237,527 | 337,901 | -29.7 | 66,611 | 29,223 | 127.9 |
| Libya | 93,149 | 66,583 | 39.9 | 18,212 | 7,405 | 145.9 |
| Bulgaria | 92,410 | 20,970 | 340.7 | 19,795 | 2,235 | 785.8 |
| Belgium | 88,769 | 74,608 | 19.0 | - | 21,880 | - |
| Greece | 88,099 | 104,097 | -15.4 | 3,945 | 6,928 | -43.1 |
| Egypt | 78,013 | 111,223 | -29.9 | 11,932 | 8,431 | 41.5 |
| UK | 71,715 | 13,726 | 422.5 | 12,809 | 5,406 | 137.0 |
| North Macedonia | 69,711 | 29,806 | 133.9 | 14,441 | 1,924 | 650.4 |
| Morocco | 66,779 | 25,487 | 162.0 | 12,144 | 3,084 | 293.8 |
Shares in Turkey's hot rolled coil exports - January-August 2026
