During the panel discussion at the SteelOrbis Market Talks Meeting held in Izmir on January 16, Nam?k Ekinci, president of Turkey's Steel Exporters Association (CIB), talked about the CIB's recent visit to Egypt to discuss the country's 6.8 percent import duty on rebar and wire rod with Egyptian officials. Ekinci said that Turkish rebar imports to Egypt have gradually decreased in recent years and the import duty in question does not have a reasonable basis, adding that Turkey accounts for 86 percent of Egypt's rebar imports, and accordingly the import duty will mostly affect the Turkish steel industry.
Mr. Ekinci stated that in 2012 Turkey's steel industry exports ranked fourth among the exports of its other industrial sectors, with its steel export value standing at $15.56 billion, rising to $17.47 billion including indirect steel exports, adding that Saudi Arabia ranked first in terms of the steel export volume bought, though Iran came first regarding foreign currency returns.
The CIB president said that Turkey's flat steel exports decreased by 19.2 percent in 2012, while the highest drop in overall steel exports was in Italy with a drop of 800,000 mt during the same period. Ekinci underscored that the capacity increase in domestic flat steel has not been reflected positively in exports, given the economic environment in Europe, especially in Italy and Spain.
According to Mr. Ekinci, in 2013 Turkey's steel exports will increase to 22.5 million mt, with the steel export value expected to rise by 20 percent year on year to $18.5 billion. Nam k Ekinci concluded by stating that the trade visits organized by the CIB to increase Turkey's steel exports have not attracted sufficient participation.