Turkey’s steel producers are calling for tougher trade defense measures against rising imports from Asia, warning that state-subsidized products from China, Russia, India, and other Far Eastern countries are distorting competition and leaving much of Turkey’s 60 mln ton capacity underutilized.
Steel imports into Turkey reached 18.3 mln tons in 2024, up 37pct since 2014, making the country the world’s second-largest importer after the EU, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration. Imports from China alone have surged more than tenfold since 2020, data from the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TCUD) shows.
While Turkey has imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of HR flat steel from China, India, Russia, and Japan, as well as heavy plates from South Korea, industry leaders warn these measures are insufficient.
Kibar Holding CEO Haluk Kayabasi urged stricter origin checks, stronger quality controls, and preferential treatment for domestic producers in public procurement. He said Asian imports are often subsidized and carbon-intensive, creating an unfair cost advantage while causing long-term risks for Turkey’s industrial base.
Colakoglu Metallurgy GM Ugur Dalbeler warned that sector utilization has dropped below 60pct in the past two years. Without stronger safeguards, he said, the steel industry faces irreparable harm, threatening not just producers but the wider manufacturing economy.
