South America demand boosts Turkey sections exports, Peru top destination

Turkish mills’ sections exports in the first quarter totaled 441,600 mt, relatively flat year on year, as market diversification and strong demand, especially from South America and the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, supported mills’ export volumes in that period.

According to monthly Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data, Peru became the largest importer of Turkish sections in Q1 at 35,600 mt, around fourfold higher on year.

Turkish mills’ sections exports to Morocco totaled 33,300 mt, 26% higher on year, while Turkish mills’ also exported 22,500 mt of sections to Egypt in the three-month period, sharply lower than 43,900 mt exported in the same period the previous year.

Argentina bought 21,600 mt of Turkish sections in Q1 but no notable sections cargo was shipped to that country in Q1 2020, while exports to Colombia totaled 19,200 mt, up 26% on year.

Turkish mills also exported 19,100 mt of sections to the UK in Q1, 10,000 mt higher on year.

Turkey’s section exports to Israel totaled 16,300 mt in Q1, down 11% on year, while exports to Romania totaled 14,600 mt, relatively flat on year.

Turkish mills’ sections exports to the US rose more than double on year to 14,100 mt in Q1, while the country’s other sections export markets in that period were: Malaysia (12,800 mt), Greece (11,400 mt) and UAE (11,300 mt), the latest data showed.

— Cenk Can