Turkey’s steel exports fell 18.4pct YoY to 911,800 tons in January 2026, while export revenues declined 21.1pct to USD 600.1 mln, according to the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD).
During the same period, steel imports dropped more sharply, falling 26.1pct YoY to 1.3 mln tons, while import value decreased 26.5pct to USD 879.4 mln.
Turkey’s crude steel production rose 5.8pct YoY to 3.4 mln tons in January, while finished steel consumption edged down 1.7pct to 3.5 mln tons.
Due to the steeper decline in imports, the export-to-import ratio improved to 68.2pct, up from 63.6pct in the same period last year.
TCUD said Turkey started the year strongly as Europe’s largest steel producer, but export performance was pressured by weaker shipments to the EU market, where exports fell 33pct YoY.
The association also noted growing competition from major producers, highlighting that India’s steel output rose 10.5pct, while China’s production declined 13.9pct during the period. TCUD added that trade agreements, including the EU-India free trade negotiations, could further reshape global steel trade, underscoring the importance of updating the EU-Turkey Customs Union and ensuring Turkey is not disadvantaged in access to key markets.
