According to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), in January this year Turkey's longitudinally welded tube and profile exports totaled 31,933 mt, declining 48.6 percent compared to the previous month which saw the highest monthly level since December 2006, and down 31.2 percent compared to January 2012. In 2012, total Turkish longitudindally welded tube and profile exports had amounted to 511,040 mt, up by 23.3 percent compared to 2011.

In January, Turkey's largest export destination for the product in question was Iraq with 7,386 mt, almost triple compared to the same month of the previous year, but down 30.6 percent compared to December 2012. In the last two months of 2012, Turkey's longitudinally welded tube and profile exports to Iraq had reached all-time record monthly highs.

Meanwhile, the UK which was Turkey's second largest destination for longitudinally welded tube and profile exports in 2012, was again the second biggest export destination for these products in January, increasing its imports from Turkey by 46.7 percent month on month to 5,506 mt in January. Contrary to Iraq, export levels to the UK of longitudinally welded tube and profile from Turkey were at very low levels in November and December last year.

Turkey's longitudinally welded tube and profile export distribution with respect to destination countries in January this year is as follows:

In January, Turkey's longitudinally welded tube and profile exports to the EU increased to 18,093 mt, up 45.5 percent month on month, after December last year had witnessed the lowest monthly export volume to the region in 2012. However, in January, the country's exports to the region saw a 8.9 percent decrease compared to the same month of the previous year.

In January this year, Turkey's spirally welded pipe exports totaled 12,235 mt, falling 61.4 percent compared to the previous month, following the high levels of export recorded in the last two months of 2012. Meanwhile, the country's spirally welded pipe exports rose 40 percent in January compared to the same month of 2012, as can be seen in the chart below. In the whole year of 2012, Turkey's total exports of spirally welded pipe had declined three percent from the previous year.

Meanwhile, in January this year Turkey's total angle, shape and section exports amounted to 114,956 mt, falling 11 percent compared to the previous month, marking the second consecutive month of month-on-month decrease, and were almost stable compared to January 2012. In 2012, the country's total angle, shape and section exports had totaled 1.66 million mt, falling by 0.7 percent compared to 2011.