TCUD: Crude steel production in Turkey will grow in January-May, steel exports to the EU are expected to exceed 3.0 million tons under the new quota regime

According to a statement released by the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TCUD), in May this year, Turkey's crude steel production increased by 8.9 percent year-on-year to 3.44 million tons, while in the first five months of the year, the country's crude steel production increased by 6.8 percent year-on-year to 16.48 million tons. In the period from January to May, the production of billets in Turkey amounted to 9.77 million tons, an increase of 0.6 percent, and the production of slabs amounted to 6.71 million tons, an increase of 19.8 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

During the specified period, the production of finished steel in Turkey increased by 5.9 percent year-on-year to 18.36 million tons, while consumption of finished steel increased by 7.8 percent year-on-year to 16.68 million tons.

In May, steel exports from Turkey decreased 0.2 percent year-on-year to 1.36 million tons, while the value of these exports fell 0.6 percent year-on-year to $914.44 million. In the first five months, the country's steel exports decreased 2.9 percent year-on-year to 6.13 million tons, while the value of these exports decreased 4.7 percent year-on-year to $6.13 billion. Exports of flat and long products in the period from January to May amounted to 2.50 million tons and 3.18 million tons, respectively, down 8.4 percent and 4.8 percent year-on-year, while exports of semi-finished products totaled 451,361 tons, up 84.2 percent year-on-year.

In May, steel imports to Turkey decreased by 16.4 percent year-on-year. in the year to 1.58 million tons, while the value of these imports fell by 18.2 percent year-on-year to 1.04 billion dollars. In the period from January to May, the country's steel imports increased by 0.5 percent year-on-year to 7.51 million tons, while the value of these imports decreased by 3.7 percent year-on-year to $5.10 billion. If we look at imported products, imports of flat and long products in the first five months amounted to 3.45 million tons and 598,135 tons, respectively, with a decrease of 4.8 percent and 5.3 percent year-on-year, while imports of semi-finished products amounted to 3.47 million tons, an increase of 7.7 percent year-on-year.

In the first five months, steel exports to Turkey were imported, the ratio decreased to 79.93 percent from 80.75 percent recorded in the same period last year.

TCUD stated that the new EU quota regime, which came into force on July 1, will significantly reduce steel imports into the bloc. At the same time, the association noted that Turkey has been allocated a country-specific quota of 2.86 million tons, which corresponds to 15.6 percent of the total quota, adding that the total volume of Turkish exports to the EU is expected to exceed 3.0