In the first nine months of the current year, Turkey's steel pipe exports increased by 2.71 percent year on year to 1.44 million metric tons, according to the statistics provided by the Turkish Steel Pipe Manufacturers Association (CEBID). The value of these exports totaled $1.21 billion, decreasing by 3.54 percent year on year.
In the January-September period of this year, the largest export markets for Turkish steel pipes were Iraq, the US and the UK. In the given period, Turkish steel pipe exports to Iraq decreased by 25.62 percent to 254,873 mt, while exports to the US rose by 10.25 percent to 221,988 mt and exports to the UK increased by 64.9 percent to 200,307 mt, all year on year. Meanwhile, in the given period, Turkey's steel pipe exports to Israel increased by 165.43 percent year on year to 68,974 mt.
On the other hand, in September this year, Turkey's steel pipe exports increased by 30.4 percent compared to August and were up 10.77 percent year on year, amounting to 183,160 mt. The value of these exports was $146 million, up 25.51 percent month on month and increasing by 1.2 percent year on year.
"Although Turkish steel pipe exports reached almost 1.5 million mt in the current year up to and including September, producers have serious problems in their input supply which causes disruptions in exports. Despite the Customs Union and Common Customs Tariff with the EU, Turkish steel producers pay 9-10 percent duty for flat steel imports, while the EU countries pay no duty. This situation lessens the competitiveness of Turkish producers and so we need a rearrangement regarding the input imports from the global markets," said CEBID secretary general Mehmet Zeren.
