In May this year, Turkey’s iron ore imports amounted to 1.12 million metric tons, down by 22.5 percent compared to April and up by 81.6 percent year on year, according to the preliminary data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). Meanwhile, the revenue generated by these imports totaled $113.18 million, decreasing by 24.5 percent compared to the previous month and up by 74 percent year on year.
In the January-May period, Turkey's iron ore imports amounted to 5.25 million mt, up 41.9 percent, while the value of these imports increased by 39.1 percent to $549.20 million, both year on year.
Turkey’s iron ore imports - last 12 months
In the given period, Turkey’s largest iron ore import source was Brazil, with 3.43 million mt, up by 43 percent year on year. Brazil was followed by Russia with 784,207 mt, up 249.3 percent year on year, and Norway with 664,233 mt, while no imports had been recorded from Norway in the same period last year.
Turkey’s top 10 iron ore import sources in the January-May period this year:
| Country | Amount (mt) | |||||
| January-May 2026 |
January-May 2025 |
Y-o-y change (%) |
May 2026 |
May 2025 |
Y-o-y change (%) |
|
| Brazil | 3,431,456 | 2,398,782 | 43 | 775,773 | 210,004 | 269.4 |
| Russia | 784,207 | 224,540 | 249.3 | 180,833 | 62,823 | 187.8 |
| Norway | 664,233 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| S. Africa | 225,996 | 167,615 | 34.8 | 166,218 | 167,591 | -0.8 |
| US | 140,466 | 0 | >1000.0 | - | - | - |
| Georgia | 2,386 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Iraq | 1,917 | 0 | - | 442 | - | - |
| Romania | 461 | 1,806 | -74.5 | 64 | 136 | -53.3 |
| Morocco | 328 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Kazakhstan | 66 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
Shares in Turkey’s iron ore imports - January-May 2026
