Turkey reduces pipe exports - CEBID

The latest data released by the Turkish Steel Pipe Manufacturers Association (CEBID) shows that Turkey reduced its steel pipe exports during the first two months of 2015.

Turkish pipe exports in January-February this year amounted to 285,900 tons, down 3.6 percent compared to exports in the same two-month period in 2014. The country exported 296,600 tons of pipes during the first two months of 2014.

The United States was the largest importer of Turkish steel pipes. Exports of pipes to the United States during January-February 2015 reached 53,588 tons, which is almost one-fifth of Turkey's total exports during this period. US steel pipe imports from Turkey rose 84.5 percent in two months on an annualized basis. Iraq was the second largest importer of Turkish steel pipes. Iraqi imports amounted to 50,224 tons, which is 20.3 percent lower in relation to imports for the same period of the previous year.

The drop in steel pipe exports during the first two months of this year threatens early export forecasts announced by the Turkish Steel Pipe Manufacturers Association (CEBID). The association had previously predicted that pipe exports in 2015 should cross the 2 million tonne target, slightly higher than 1.95 million tonnes in 2014. However, steel pipe exports declined significantly in the second half of 2014, but showed signs of recovery during November and December last year.