Ferrous scrap consumption rose by 2.5pc to 8.86mn mt in Turkey in the first four months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, while crude steel production was almost unchanged.
Crude steel output totaled 11.22mn mt during the period under review compared with 11.23mn a year ago, according to Turkish Steel Producers Association. Producers increased scrap imports by 18pc to 6.98mn mt as its supply from the domestic market dropped by 31pc to 1.88mn mt, according to statistical source SteelData.
In April 2020, Turkey’s crude steel output decreased by 26pc to 2.25mn mt compared to the same month last year because some Turkish mills suspended operations or reduced them amid negative influence of COVID-19 and strict measures against it. As a result, scrap consumption declined by 29pc to 1.71mn mt during the month compared to April 2019.
Of the key ferrous scrap suppliers to Turkey, which included USA, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Russia and Belgium, only Russia decreased shipments to the country as illustrated in the table below:
Top 5 ferrous scrap suppliers to Turkey, thousand mt
| Jan-Apr 2019 | Jan-Apr 2020 | change | |
| USA | 1,052 | 1,346 | 28pc |
| Netherlands | 893 | 1,080 | 21pc |
| United Kingdom | 752 | 866 | 15pc |
| Russia | 648 | 593 | -8pc |
| Belgium | 439 | 437 | 0pc |
| Others | 2,125 | 2,657 | 25pc |
| Total | 5,909 | 6,979 | 18pc |
Source: SteelData