Serbian industry sources told SteelRadar that the import quota system was initially introduced as a strategic measure to protect domestic production and the country's steel industry. However, they noted that producers benefiting from quota protection and holding dominant positions in the market subsequently increased their prices rapidly. According to the sources, these price hikes were driven by the pricing strategies of protected producers rather than reflecting broader regional market trends.
The sources added that importers, end-users and other market participants have been forced to adapt to these conditions, describing the situation as a major challenge that continues to affect the market today.
For comparison, Serbia imported around 115,000 tons of rebar and wire rod from Türkiye in the year before the quota system was introduced. Under the new regime, imports from Türkiye were limited to 6,600 tons of straight rebar per quarter, while wire rod and rebar in coils were each capped at 2,800 tons per quarter.
The sources also noted that the closure of the Zenica Steel Plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a separate issue in itself. Following the shutdown, the rebar import quota was recently increased by approximately 2,000 tons.
They added that similar restrictions also apply to products originating from the European Union, with shipments from Italy being affected by the same quota measures.
According to the industry sources, while steel prices across the region generally fluctuated within a range of ±20 EUR/ton, price movements in Serbia significantly exceeded those levels.
On the demand side, the market remained relatively stable during the first months of the year, but slowed noticeably from May onward.
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