Posted on 03 Dec 2019
Turkish iron ore imports declined -40% on-year in October to 735,626 tonnes, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data monitored by Kallanish. Their average value was $120/tonne versus $94/t in October 2018.
Brazil was the largest supplier with 438,510t, followed by Sweden with 150,005t and Russia with 103,005t. This was down -14%, -33% and -9% respectively. Moreover, zero was sourced each from South Africa and Canada versus over 170,000t and over 165,000t respectively a year ago.
Turkish scrap imports also fell in October, by -33% to 1.14 million tonnes, as mills stepped back from raw materials buying after replenishing stocks in September (see Kallanish passim).
Iron ore imports in January-October thus fell -3% on-year to 8.67mt, with Brazil, Sweden and Canada the top three suppliers in that order.
Turkish iron ore exports, meanwhile, soared to 286,866t in October from 16,281t a year earlier. Their average price was $68/t versus $71/t a year earlier.
China took in 127,626t and Algeria 91,582t versus zero each last year. Romanian intake surged 154% to 39,693t.
Ten-month iron ore exports thus soared 120% to 1.07mt, with Romania, Algeria and China the top three markets.
