In May this year, Turkey's total hot rolled coil (HRC) exports decreased by 20.9 percent year on year to 105,358 metric tons, while decreasing by 6.9 percent compared to the previous month, according to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). These exports had a value of $61.72 million, decreasing by 22.82 percent year on year and down by 5.97 percent compared to April.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of this year, Turkey's HRC exports decreased by 28.3 percent to 547,440 mt, while the value of these exports fell 30.1 percent to $318.07 million, both on year-on-year basis.
In the first five months, the US ranked first among Turkey's HRC export destinations, increasing its HRC imports from Turkey by 334.91 percent year on year to 114,025 mt, while Turkey's HRC exports to Italy, which was the leading destination in 2013, decreased by 76.43 percent year on year to 77,244 mt. In the given period, Turkey's HRC exports to Portugal decreased by 51.85 year on year to 45,273 mt.
Turkey's top 10 HRC export destinations in January-May this year are as follows:
| Country | Amount (mt) | |||||
| January-May 2014 | January-May 2013 | Y-o-y change (%) | May 2014 | May 2013 | Y-o-y change (%) | |
| US | 144,025 | 33,116 | 334.91 | 66,497 | 3,473 | 1814.68 |
| Italy | 77,244 | 327,678 | -76.43 | 2,621 | 33,448 | -92.16 |
| Portugal | 45,273 | 94,018 | -51.85 | - | 7,194 | - |
| Canada | 28,525 | 49 | - | - | - | - |
| Morocco | 28,324 | 2,450 | 1056.08 | - | - | - |
| Greece | 27,079 | 11,919 | 127.19 | - | - | - |
| Romania | 26,959 | 36,576 | -26.29 | 6,252 | 7,779 | -19.63 |
| Thailand | 24,906 | 66,115 | -62.33 | - | 55,167 | - |
| Spain | 21,628 | 63,122 | -65.74 | - | 5,242 | - |
| Belguim | 19,871 | 21,315 | -6.77 | - | - | - |
Turkey's main HRC export destinations in the first five months of this year are as follows:
