Turkey’s alumina import falls 36% YoY in 2017; expected to pick up this year

Turkey, which imports substantial amount of alumina to feed domestic smelters every year, is estimated to increase its alumina import in 2018. The country’s import of alumina dropped in volume in 2017 when compared to 2016 data.

Germany is the top supplier of alumina to the country in 2017, according to recent statistics. Turkey imported an estimated 7883 tonnes of alumina from the country. Other exporting countries to Turkey are Bosnia Herzegovina, France, Netherlands, Spain, and China.

According to the international trade data, Turkey imported 26511 tonnes of alumina in 2017, a 36 per cent down from its 2016 imports totalling 41611 tonnes. This year, the country is estimated to import 35026 tonnes of alumina, an increase of 8515 tonnes from last year.

The cost of alumina import stood at USD22 million in 2017, from USD 23 million in 2016.  The cost of import for alumina is estimated to be USD 29 million by the end of this year.

Turkey's aluminium manufacturing market will grow at a CAGR of approximately 4 per cent until 2020. The rising demand from the downstream sector is expected to keep the domestic demand for alumina buoyed up in the foreseeable future, according to market report by Technavio.