In September this year, Turkey's stainless flat steel imports decreased by 13.35 percent year on year and by 20.68 percent compared to August, amounting to 36,132 metric tons, according to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The value of these imports in September was $85.36 million, decreasing by 11.01 percent year on year and by 19.39 percent compared to August.
Meanwhile, in the January-September period of the current year, Turkey's stainless flat steel imports amounted to 382,732 metric tons, increasing by 9.1 percent, with a value of $852.13 million, up 2.11 percent, both year on year.
In the first nine months of this year, Turkey's stainless flat steel imports from Taiwan, which ranked as Turkey's top import source for the products in question in 2013, decreased by 37.69 percent year on year to 45,541 mt. In the given period, South Korea was Turkey's leading import source for stainless flat steel, supplying 100,928 mt, up 68.81 percent year on year. China followed South Korea, with its stainless flat steel exports to Turkey in the given period increasing by 128.7 percent year on year to 75,173 mt. Meanwhile, in the given period Turkey's stainless flat steel imports from Italy increased by 64.46 percent year on year to 50,223 metric tons. In September alone, Turkey's biggest stainless flat steel source was South Korea, which supplied 9,033 mt.
Turkey's top 10 stainless flat steel import sources in the first nine months of the current year are as follows:
| Country | Amount (mt) | |||||
| January-September 2014 | January-September 2013 | Y-o-y change (%) | September 2014 | September 2013 | Y-o-y change (%) | |
| S. Korea | 100,928 | 59,789 | 68.81 | 9,033 | 7,919 | 14.07 |
| China | 75,173 | 32,870 | 128.7 | 7,015 | 4,301 | 63.1 |
| Italy | 50,223 | 30,538 | 64.46 | 3,911 | 2,799 | 39.73 |
| Taiwan | 45,541 | 73,086 | -37.69 | 4,327 | 8,438 | -48.72 |
| Finland | 21,866 | 30,884 | -29.2 | 2,429 | 5,585 | -56.51 |
| Germany | 16,973 | 31,766 | -46.57 | 2,597 | 3,676 | -29.35 |
| Belgium | 16,226 | 17,883 | -9.27 | 1,707 | 1,534 | 11.28 |
| France | 14,852 | 12,019 | 23.57 | 1,385 | 1,354 | 2.29 |
| Spain | 8,409 | 8,159 | 3.06 | 779 | 658 | 18.39 |
| India | 8,332 | 13,716 | -39.25 | 950 | 500 | 90 |
Turkey's main stainless flat steel sources on country basis in the first nine months of this year are presented below:
