Leading Turkish steel producers have warned that aggressive price competition, rising imports and tightening export restrictions are putting increasing pressure on the country’s steel industry, according to local media reports.
Habas Holding Chairman Mehmet Basaran said Turkey has become an open market for global steel suppliers, with imported products, particularly from the Far East, intensifying competition in the domestic market. He said some local producers have also started selling below cost to generate cash amid high interest rates and tighter bank lending.
Habas officials said Turkey exported around 1 mln tons of flat steel during the first five months of 2026 while imports reached approximately 1.5 mln tons over the same period. They also highlighted growing trade imbalances with several countries, noting that Egypt imposes anti-dumping duties on Turkish steel while continuing to export significant volumes to Turkey.
The company also criticized the European Union’s safeguard measures, noting that Turkey’s country-specific flat steel quota has been progressively reduced and was cut to 160,000 tons from July 1, 2026, further limiting export opportunities for Turkish producers.
Industry representatives have repeatedly called for stronger trade measures to address what they describe as unfair import competition and to protect the competitiveness of Turkey’s domestic steel industry.