Scrap metal supplies to Turkey from Russia and Canada are growing amid a general drop in imports

Scrap imports fell 21% year-on-year to 1.65 million tonnes in May, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). Its average cost was $ 365.5 per tonne against $ 281 per tonne last year.

Almost 99%, or 1.64 million tons in May of imports were obsolete scrap metal. The main supplier of this scrap was the United States, despite a 39% drop to 232,198 tons. The next supplier was Russia with a 37% increase in supply to 231.924 tons, followed by the Netherlands with a decrease of -29% to 229.510 tons. Shipments from the UK and Belgium also dropped significantly to 172,757 tonnes and 133,615 tonnes, respectively, but consumption from Canada more than doubled to 115,745 tonnes.

In January-May, Turkey's scrap metal imports increased by 11% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 8.94 million tons, while recycling scrap amounted to 8.84 million tons. The top suppliers of obsolete scrap were the USA, Great Britain and Russia. Consumption from the United States rose 24% to 1.67 million tonnes, while shipments from the UK rose 15% to 1.27 million tonnes, while imports from Russia rose 58% to 1.03 million tonnes. However, from the Netherlands it fell from -17% to 956,130 tons.

Turkish rebar exports reflected a drop in scrap imports in May, falling -20% year-on-year to 348,270 tonnes on lower demand from Asia and the US. However, in contrast to scrap metal, the export of rebar also decreased over the five months, by -14% to 2.31 million tons, which indicates an increase in steel consumption.