In March of the current year, Turkey's steel exports declined by 21.5 percent to 1.59 million mt, while the value of these exports decreased by 16.5 percent to $1.32 billion, both on year-on-year basis, according to the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association (CIB) report released by the Turkish Iron and Steel Producers' Association (TCUD).

In March this year, Turkey's billet exports decreased by 83.3 percent year on year to 45,000 mt, while slab exports totaled 5,000 mt. In the given month, Turkey's hot rolled flat steel exports increased by 1.7 percent to 163,000 mt, cold rolled flat steel exports decreased by 54.2 percent to 5,000 mt and wire rod exports fell by 27.5 percent to 73,000 mt, while steel pipe exports decreased by four percent to 176,000 mt and steel section exports rose by 21.5 percent to 176,000 mt, all compared to March 2013. Turkey's rebar exports decreased by 23.3 percent year on year to 678,000 mt in March of the current year.

Meanwhile, in March this year, the Turkish steel industry ranked third among the country's exporting industries, accounting for a 10.2 percent share in the country's total export value of $13 billion, up 4.3 percent year on year.

On the other hand, in the first quarter this year Turkey's steel exports decreased by 10.8 percent to 4.73 million mt, while the value of these exports decreased by 7.1 percent to $3.89 billion, both on year on year basis. In the given period, Turkey's billet exports decreased by 71.4 percent year on year to 219,000 mt, while hot rolled flat steel exports decreased by 15 percent to 411,000 mt, coated flat steel exports decreased by 45 percent to 92,000 mt, wire rod exports fell by 12.7 percent to 265,000 mt and rebar exports decreased by 3.7 percent to 2.05 million mt, all on-year-on year basis. Meanwhile, in the first three months of this year, Turkey's steel pipe exports increased by 2.5 percent to 473,000 mt and steel section exports rose by 20.9 percent to 479,000 mt, both on year-on-year basis.

In the January-March period this year, the Turkish steel industry ranked third among the country's exporting industries, accounting for a 10.1 percent share in the country's total export value of $38.61 billion, up 6.2 percent year on year.