Turkey’s import performance for first three quarters weakens

Many players have been complaining about the tepid stance of demand in Turkey for most of 2015. Affirming these complaints, there is an overall decrease of approximately 10% in the first three quarters of this year when compared to the same period of last year, according to ChemOrbis Import Statistics. Some products display a visible drop; however, a few of them show increases and even record highs for the first three quarters when compared to the same periods of the historical data.

The most visible drop was in PVC, where imports retreated by 10% in the first three quarters of 2015 on a yearly basis. This was also the lowest level of imports seen since 2010 in the PVC market. The slowing construction sector and dampened export business of PVC converters can be cited as the main reasons behind the loss in import volumes.

The PS market witnessed a similar drop of around 9-10% in the first three quarters in a year over year comparison. Just like the case in the PVC market, cumulative PS imports during January-September represent the lowest levels seen since 2010. Buyers’ preference to switch to other products including PP, ABS and EPS for their applications can be blamed for the drop in PS imports this year.

The following largest decrease was seen in the HDPE market, where 7% fewer imports were made in the first three quarters of this year. This total suggests the lowest imports since 2011. Although players do not think that film demand from shopping bag manufacturers has shrunk, they believe pipe and blow moulding applications must have caused demand to diminish in the HDPE market. Many infrastructure projects were suspended before and after the first elections held in June while the export business of manufacturers has been fragile for some time, players reported.

PP imports lost ground by 5-6% in January-September on a yearly basis. Although there is a yearly decrease for the given period, these levels were just below the record seen in 2014. PP fibre converters particularly in the Gaziantep area, South Turkey, have been complaining about their poor export orders since the beginning of this year.

When it comes to the products which raised their import share, LDPE and PET, two products produced domestically, posted gains in the first three quarters of 2015 on a yearly basis. LDPE imports rose by 10% while PET imports recorded a larger increase of 31% when compared to the same period of last year. LLDPE imports moved up marginally while ABS imports rose by 9% in the same timeframe.

For homo PP, PP copolymers, HDPE , LDPE, LLDPE, PS, PVC, ABS and PET, you can visit ChemOrbis Import Statistics by product and ChemOrbis Import Statistics by country to view and compare exact import figures on a yearly and monthly basis in further detail.