In March this year, Turkey's crude steel output decreased by 4.3 percent year on year and increased by 4.8 percent month on month to 2.84 million metric tons, according to the Turkish Iron and Steel Producers' Association (TCUD). In the given month, Turkey's crude steel output by electric arc furnaces rose 1.6 percent to 2.12 million metric tons, while production by blast furnaces decreased by 17.9 percent to 729,000 metric tons due to a breakdown at domestic producer Isdemir, both on year-on-year basis.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter this year Turkey's crude steel output recorded a slight decrease of 0.5 percent year on year, totaling 8.43 million mt, against the backdrop of problems in the Turkish economy, the depreciation of the Turkish lira and the uncertain atmosphere in the country during the first quarter. In the given period, Turkey's billet output decreased by 1.3 percent to 6.19 million mt, while country's slab output increased by two percent to 2.25 million mt, both on year-on-year basis.
In the first quarter this year, Turkey's crude steel production by electric arc furnaces declined by 0.7 percent to 5.88 million metric tons, while production by blast furnaces increased by 0.2 percent to 2.55 million metric tons, both on year-on-year basis.