Turkey's scrap imports rise in June 2026 despite sharp drop in US-origin material, 3.1 percent increase in H1

In June this year, Turkey's scrap import volume increased by 31.3 percent year on year and by 7.1 percent month on month to 1.59 million mt, according to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The value of these imports totaled $657.72 million, up by 44.6 percent year on year and 10.8 percent month on month.

In the first six months of the year, Turkey's scrap imports amounted to 9.67 million mt, up 3.1 percent, while the value of these imports increased by 5.8 percent to $3.76 billion, both year on year.

Turkey's scrap imports - last 12 months

In the given period, Turkey imported 1.77 million mt of scrap from the US, up 2.9 percent year on year, with the US ranking as Turkey's leading scrap import source, ahead of the Netherlands which supplied 1.20 million mt in the given period, down 20.0 percent year on year, and the UK which supplied 1.12 million mt of scrap, up 20.8 percent year on year.

Belgium was the largest scrap supplier in June with 197,991 mt, up 150.5 percent year on year, followed by the UK with 175,418 mt, up 624.9 percent, and Russia with 171,278 mt, up 115.2 percent. Romania also recorded a strong increase of 88.6 percent to 119,324 mt, while Denmark almost doubled its shipments to 78,618 mt. By contrast, imports from the US, despite the country remaining the largest supplier in the January-June period, fell sharply by 70.3 percent year on year in June to 114,659 mt.

Overall, the June data show that Turkey's monthly scrap import growth was supported mainly by stronger purchases from European suppliers and Russia, while the sharp decline in US-origin material limited the increase. The rise in June volumes also helped lift Turkey's first-half scrap imports to 9.67 million mt, up 3.1 percent year on year.

Turkey's top 10 scrap import sources in the January-June period are as follows:

Shares in Turkey's scrap imports - January-June 2026