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Recently announced anti-dumping duties on Chinese stainless steel imports have created a rift in Türkiye’s manufacturing sector, with domestic producers welcoming the measure as a boost to local output, while downstream manufacturers repeated warnings about rising costs and risks to export competitiveness.
The decision, following a Trade Ministry investigation launched in September 2024, imposes a 3.95% anti-dumping duty on Chinese-origin cold-rolled stainless steel flat imports, on top of the existing 12% tariff, after concluding that the products were sold at unfairly low prices that harmed domestic producers.
The combined 16% levy is set to remain in place for five years unless revised.
The move came in response to a formal complaint submitted by Posco Assan, a stainless steel producer established in Türkiye, which has remained at the center of the debate, attracting criticism from sectors dependent on stainless steel inputs.
Cold-rolled stainless steel flat products are widely used in the production of white goods, automotive components, kitchen appliances, and industrial machinery. As a result, industry groups that rely on these materials are once again speaking up, saying the added costs could hurt production, exports, and jobs, issues they’ve been flagging since the inquiry began.
Following the announcement, Guclu Kaplangi, head of the Household and Kitchenware Manufacturers Federation (EVFED), cautioned that total import-related taxes on stainless steel have risen to 16%, compared to just 8% two years ago.
"Back then, only a value-added tax of 8% applied. Today, the total payable tax has doubled," Kaplangi said. He added that the additional duty could harm exports, employment, and inflation, and called for the existing customs tariff to be reduced to 4% starting in 2026. "Only then can we return to the tax levels of two years ago," he added.
One of Posco Assan’s shareholders, Haluk Kayabasi, CEO of Kibar Holding, welcomed the anti-dumping duty, describing it as a much-needed lifeline for Türkiye’s domestic industry.
Kayabasi emphasized that Türkiye’s stainless steel demand, estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 tons annually, is heavily reliant on imports, which currently meet about 80% of market needs. Posco Assan and its domestic competitors can together meet up to 90% of that demand if conditions allow, he stated.
He further explained that local capacity utilization would increase, allowing plants to operate at lower costs and generate new employment. "This step will not only enhance Türkiye’s competitiveness but also help transform it into a regional production hub," Kayabasi asserted.
Posco Assan, which imports hot-rolled stainless steel coils and processes them into cold-rolled products for the domestic market, operates at an annual capacity of 300,000 tons.
According to official records, Türkiye imported 411,418 tons of cold-rolled stainless steel flat products valued at $799.09 million in 2024, with China supplying 227,273 tons worth $381.22 million of that total.
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