Türkiye Boosts Steel Production in H1 2026, but Remains a Net Importer
Crude steel production rose by 8.1% in the first half of 2026 in Türkiye. This increase in production has reached 19.77 million tonnes, according to the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TÇÜD).
The industry continues to operate below its full capacity and face challenges related to high imports, dependence on imported scrap, and weaker exports to the European Union.
In June this year, Türkiye produced 3.29 million tonnes of crude steel, a 14.7% increase compared with the same month last year.
However, Türkiye used only 63.9% of its annual steelmaking capacity of 61.9 million tonnes.
Türkiye was the world’s seventh-largest crude steel producer in 2025, with annual production of 38.1 million tonnes.
Imports remain higher than exports
Türkiye exported 7.84 million tonnes of steel products in the first half of 2026, an increase of 2.5% year-on-year.
Even though steel imports have only increased by 0.3%, they remained higher than exports at 9.27 million tonnes. This left net steel imports of the country at approximately 1.43 million tonnes.
The numbers show that even though the export performance is strong, Türkiye remained a net steel importer during the first half of the year.
Scrap Dependence and EU Export Pressure
The steel industry in Türkiye remains heavily dependent on imported ferrous scrap, reaching 9.67 million tonnes in the first half of 2026.
At the same time, due to the EU introducing tighter steel import rules from the 1st of July, steel exports to the European Union have decreased by 22%. New rules include lower duty-free quotas and 50% tariffs on imports above quota, which could put further pressure on Turkish exporters in the second half of the year.
Overall, Türkiye’s steel sector has entered the second half of the year with stronger production, but also continues to face challenges including dependence on imported scrap and weaker access to the European Union.
By AmirSam Ghadessi