Press Release September 2025

STEEL PRODUCTION

In September 2025, Turkey's crude steel production increased by 7.2% compared to the same month last year, reaching 3.2 million tons. In the January-September period, production increased by 1%, reaching 28.1 million tons.

STEEL CONSUMPTION

Final product consumption in September 2025 increased by 9.6% compared to the same month in 2024, reaching 3.1 million tons. In the January-September period, final product consumption increased by 3.9%, reaching 28.9 million tons.

FOREIGN TRADE

Export

In September 2025, steel product exports increased by 7.6% in terms of quantity compared to the same month in 2024, reaching 1.4 million tons, while in terms of value, it decreased by 0.2%, amounting to 900.5 million dollars. In the January-September period, steel product exports increased by 12.1% in terms of quantity compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 11.4 million tons, and in terms of value, it increased by 3.8%, amounting to 7.7 billion dollars.

Import

In September 2025, steel product imports increased by 12.1% in terms of quantity compared to the same month in 2024, reaching 1.5 million tons, and in terms of value, it increased by 2.9%, amounting to 1.0 billion dollars. In the January-September period, steel product imports increased by 17.2% in terms of quantity compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 14.2 million tons, and in terms of value, it increased by 3.6%, amounting to 9.9 billion dollars.

Foreign Trade Balance

In the January-September period of 2024, the export-to-import ratio, which was 77.8%, increased to 78% in the same period of 2025.

WORLD STEEL PRODUCTION

According to the September 2025 data announced by the World Steel Association (worldsteel), global crude steel production decreased by 1.6% compared to the same month last year, reaching 141.8 million tons, and in the January-September period, it decreased by 1.6% compared to the previous period, reaching 1.4 billion tons. In the January-September period, China's crude steel production decreased by 2.9% compared to the same period last year, reaching 746.3 million tons, while India's crude steel production, which ranks second, increased by 10.5%, reaching 122.4 million tons. The production in the USA increased by 2.1%, reaching 61.4 million tons.

ASSESSMENT

As in September, global crude steel production decreased by 1.6% in the January-September period. During the 9-month period, Turkey, with a 1% increase, continued to be among the countries with increased production along with India and the USA, maintaining and strengthening its position as the world's 7th largest steel producer. After the 50% tariff by the USA, the EU Commission's new safeguard measure proposal to reduce quotas by 47% and apply a 50% tax on exports exceeding the quota, in addition to countries like Mexico and Canada planning to take similar measures, indicates that a large part of the world steel markets is going through a period of being closed to external supply. This situation makes it inevitable for countries with high capacities, especially China, as well as Far Eastern countries and the Russian Federation, which cannot export to these countries, to turn to the Turkish market. In an environment where our steel consumption is continuously growing, meeting the needs through domestic supply has become even more important due to blockages in foreign markets. Although the Turkish steel sector currently has the capacity to meet domestic consumption, the capacity utilization rate remains at an extremely low level of 63%. The share of imported inputs in total consumption in Turkey is around 48%, which is 2.5 times the 20% levels that the EU is seriously concerned about and plans to reduce to 12% by planning quota reductions. To increase the capacity utilization rates of the Turkish steel sector and to maintain its competitiveness against countries receiving billions of euros in state support, it is important to take measures similar to those taken by the USA and the EU; in this context, applying quotas against countries where we experience significant import increases and imposing taxes at rates similar to those applied by the USA and the EU on imports exceeding the quota is important.