Turkish steelmakers call for urgent action to protect against dumped imports

Industry representatives point to underutilization of local capacity, among other issues

Turkish steelmakers are calling for urgent action to protect against dumped imports, they told the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı.

Representatives of the metallurgical industry believe that cheap and substandard steel products from China and East Asian countries, supported by state subsidies, create unfair competition and reduce capacity utilization in Turkey.

Veysel Yayan, secretary general of the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TCUD), said that high export growth to the Turkish market from China, Russia, India, and some Far Eastern countries, which have been unable to overcome protectionism by the US, EU, and others, has damaged domestic production. The country’s steel capacity of 60 million tons remains largely underutilized.

In particular, he said, imports from China have increased tenfold since 2020. Limited capacity utilization due to increased imports has led to the postponement or cancellation of new investments by Turkish metallurgists, which has negatively affected the sector’s potential for sustainable growth.

Yayan also points out that metal products imported from China and the Far East sometimes raise questions about quality and standards. Differences between batches and the reliability of certification are among the most frequently mentioned problems with imports.

Haluk Kayabaşı, CEO of Kibar Holding, an aluminum rolling company, said that dumped goods, whose prices are below cost thanks to government subsidies in countries such as China and Indonesia, create an unstable competitive environment in the Turkish market.

He stressed the need to introduce trade defense instruments to prevent unfair competition. However, according to Kayabashi, anti-dumping duties alone are not enough to protect the sector. Effective origin checks, enhanced quality control, and preference for domestic products in public procurement are also important. In addition, Turkish industrialists should be supported with appropriate credit and incentive mechanisms.

 Uğur Dalbeler, CEO of Colakoglu Metalurji, points out that if the capacity utilization rate falls below 75%, the country’s metallurgical sector will lose its competitiveness. According to him, over the past two years, the company has had to operate at a rate below 60%.

“Under these conditions, not only is remedial investment impossible, but preserving what already exists has become impossible. The steel sector must make significant investments every year just to maintain what already exists. If measures are not taken, the Turkish steel sector will suffer irreparable damage,” he said.

During January-July of this year, Turkey’s steel industry reduced steel production by 0.9% compared to the same period in 2024, to 21.48 million tons. Pig iron production for the period fell by 12.5% y/y, to 5.29 million tons.