According to Adnan Aslan, The chairman of Türkiye’s Steel Exporters’ Association, the steel industry has the potential to export up to 2 million metric tons to help Syria reconstruct its land post-civil war. With the recent updates from Syria.
Aslan said in a press conference that producers in Iskenderun have already begun exporting to Syria, though the current volume is still limited to 200,000 tons.
“With normalization in the region, we could reach around 750,000 tons in the second half of the year, while the full potential stands at 2 million tons. This presents a significant opportunity, and if everything goes well, it will have a notable impact on our export figures in Syria,” he said.
Aslan also highlighted that in 2024, the top five export destinations for Turkish steel by volume were Romania, Italy, Yemen, Ukraine, and Iraq.Looking ahead to 2025, he also emphasized the sector is to focus on North Africa, West Africa, and South America as well.
“One of our biggest advantages in Africa is that local traders struggle to open letters of credit. The banking systems in many countries are not well established, so European and Turkish traders buy directly from local producers and sell on open account terms. China, on the other hand, cannot operate on an open account basis, which limits its influence in the region,” he explained.
Additionally, Aslan stated that exports to Israel and Palestine might resume after June, while interest in the South American market remains strong. Domestically, high-speed rail projects are major steel consumers, alongside the government’s social housing initiative, which is also fueling demand. He explained that for 600,000 housing units, almost 6 million tons of steel are required.
Türkiye’s steel exports in 2024 have risen 21.8% year-over-year in tonnage, reaching 17.7 million tons. In terms of value, exports increased by 8.7% to $16.1 billion.