Turkish Steel Exports Increased in 2018: 21.4 Million Tonnes, Up 20.8%

Published October 10, 2026

Turkey closed 2018 with record steel shipments abroad. According to the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association, exports rose 20.8% to 21.4 million tonnes, while export revenue jumped 36% to $15.6 billion.

Key figures for 2018

Export volume: 21.4 million tonnes, up 20.8% year on year.
Export revenue: $15.6 billion, up 36% compared with 2017.
Imports: 14.5 million tonnes, down 11.3%, for a value of $12.8 billion (up 3.3%), according to the Turkish Steel Producers' Association (TÇÜD).
Crude steel output: 37.3 million tonnes, making Turkey the world's 8th largest producer, according to worldsteel data.

The export figures were released by the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association on January 8, 2019.

Where Turkish steel went

The European Union, the Middle East and North America remained the largest buyers of Turkish steel in 2018. The strongest growth came from the United States, Iraq, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

Growth despite US tariffs

The result is notable because 2018 was a difficult year for trade. In March 2018 the United States imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports under Section 232, and later doubled the rate for Turkey after a diplomatic dispute. The association credited part of the growth to new interest from Asian markets.

With imports falling and exports rising, Turkey's steel trade balance improved: TÇÜD reported that export volume covered 138% of import volume in 2018.

The outlook at the time

The association's chairman, Adnan Aslan, warned that the sector would be under strain especially in the first half of 2019, as China was expected to pursue an aggressive export policy and protectionism was likely to continue.

Sources

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