Turkey’s steel exports reached 13.7 mln tons in the first eleven months of 2025, up 13.3pct YoY, while export revenues rose 4.5pct to USD 9.3 bln, according to the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD). In November alone, exports increased 22.2pct YoY to 1.2 mln tons, with export value up 9.8pct to USD 774.8 mln.
Over the same January-November period, Turkey’s steel imports climbed 11.8pct YoY to 17.4 mln tons, valued at USD 12.1 bln, a modest 0.9pct increase in value. November imports, however, declined 3.5pct YoY to 1.7 mln tons, while import value fell 5.2pct to USD 1.1 bln.
Crude steel production totaled 34.6 mln tons in the first eleven months, up 2pct YoY, supported by a strong 10pct YoY increase in November output to 3.3 mln tons. Finished steel consumption rose 2.4pct YoY to 35.9 mln tons over the period, with November consumption edging up 0.5pct YoY to 3.7 mln tons.
TCUD highlighted that November marked the strongest production growth of the year, driven by a sharp rise in exports. After moderate gains in the third quarter, exports accelerated further, increasing 18pct in October and 22pct in November, bringing total shipments to 13.7 mln tons over eleven months.
Imports, while still rising, grew more slowly than exports on a quarterly basis for the first time in 2025. TCUD attributed the import increase mainly to China’s efforts to redirect surplus steel to global markets, weaker domestic consumption, and higher exports from Russia, which faces restricted market access due to sanctions. Between January and November, steel imports from Russia surged 44pct to 4.1 mln tons, while imports from China rose 19.4pct to 4.0 mln tons.
Looking ahead, TCUD warned that global oversupply pressures are unlikely to ease. China’s steel exports are expected to reach 120 mln tons by year-end, while its domestic steel demand is projected to fall 2pct in 2025 and a further 1pct in 2026.
Entering 2026, TCUD also expressed concern that new safeguard measures planned by the European Commission in the second half of the year, alongside the expansion of the CBAM mechanism to include derivative products, could significantly harm Turkey’s steel exports. The association stressed that reciprocal measures will be essential to protect the Turkish steel sector amid rising trade restrictions.
