Ferrous scrap consumption declined by 4.7pc to 10.64mn mt in Turkey in January-May 2020 from the same period last year amid decreasing crude steel output.
Crude steel production totaled 13.50mn mt during the period under review, declining by 5.6pc from January-May 2019, according to Turkish Steel Producers Association.
Crude steel output in Turkey dropped by 25.9pc to 2.3mn mt in May 2020 compared with May 2019 as strict measures against the COVID-19 pandemic were still in force. As a result, scrap consumption totaled 1.79mn mt that month, according to statistical source SteelData.
Turkish mills increased scrap imports by 5pc to 8.14mn mt, while its purchases from the domestic market decreased by 27pc to 2.50mn mt in the first five months of 2020.
USA and the Netherlands were the main ferrous scrap suppliers to Turkey and both raised shipments in January-May 2020 compared with the prior year. The next three suppliers—the United Kingdom, Russia, and Belgium—all reduced shipments, as illustrated in the table below:
Top 5 ferrous scrap suppliers to Turkey (in ,000mt)
| Jan-May 2019 | Jan-May 2020 | change | |
| USA | 1,361 | 1,673 | 23pc |
| Netherlands | 1,121 | 1,171 | 4pc |
| United Kingdom | 1,004 | 912 | -9pc |
| Russia | 804 | 706 | -12pc |
| Belgium | 588 | 494 | -16pc |
| Others | 2,844 | 3,181 | 12pc |
| Total | 7,722 | 8,137 | 5pc |
Source: SteelData