Crude steel production in Turkey increased by 12.7 percent year on year in January this year to 3.4 million mt, according to a statement released by the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD). Turkey, which became the seventh biggest steel producing country in the world and Europe’s leading steel producer with 35.8 million mt of crude steel production in 2020, maintained its position in January this year.
In January, Turkey’s finished steel consumption rose by 15.1 percent year on year to 3.1 million mt. The country’s long product consumption increased 32.9 percent, while its flat product consumption rose 2.2 percent, both year on year.
In the given month, Turkey’s steel exports decreased by 15.5 percent to 1.3 million mt, while the value of these exports decreased by one percent to $749 million, year on year.
In January, Turkey’s steel imports decreased by 14.3 percent to 1.2 million mt, due to insufficient supply amid the rapid increase in demand in the international market and Turkish steelmakers’ focus on their local market, while the value of these imports moved up by 12.2 percent to $872 million, both year on year.
According to the association, entering an upward trend since June last year, Turkey’s crude steel production maintained this trend in January. If the trend in crude steel production continues, production could exceed 38 million mt by the end of the year. In 2021, the safeguard measures applied by third countries and signals of China’s return to the global steel market will increase the obstacles that Turkey’s exports face. Turkey’s steel exports to the EU fell by 36.6 percent year on year amid the ongoing safeguard measures. The European Commission has launched an investigation on the continuation of the safeguard measures, which will expire in July this year. As the safeguard measures violate the Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and the EU, Turkey’s imports need to be controlled by giving priority to local supply, the TCUD stated.