Turkey reduced imports of billets from Ukraine by 50% in Q1 2022

In the first quarter of 2022, Turkish steel plants reduced the import of billets from Ukraine by 49.5% compared to the same period of 2021, to 84.8 thousand tons, Steel Orbis with reference to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) reported.

In March, exports of Ukrainian semi-finished products to Turkey stopped due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Russian army. In March 2021, imports of Ukrainian billets amounted to 30.4 thousand tons.

In general, Turkish steelmakers in January-March reduced imports of billets by 56.2% compared to the same period in 2021, to 403.3 thousand tons.

Russia is the biggest supplier of billets to Turkey. It accounts for 42% of all deliveries. In three months, Turkish steelmakers consumed 168.6 thousand tons of Russian metal products. This is 67.2% less than a year ago.

Ukraine ranks second in terms of billets supplies to Turkey – 21%. The third place holds Oman – 45.7 thousand tons, or 11%.

Earlier GMK Center reported that in 2021 Turkey imported from Ukraine 350.1 thousand tons of billets, the same as in 2020. Ukrainian billets reached a share of 12% of total billet imports to Turkey.

Turkey ranks seventh in the world in terms of steel production. According to World Steel, the country in 2021 increased steel production by 13% compared to 2020, up to 40.4 million tons.