Chamber of Metallurgical Industries renewed calls on Trade and Industry Ministry to take measures to cap importing of Turkish steel, which affects the national industry, while importers said importing does not exceed 5% of the total consumption.

Mr Rafiq Daw vice chief of the chamber, said government should intervene to balance in competition with Turkish steel, referring to difference of USD 120 between costs of production in local and Turkish factories, in favor of the domestic market.

He added that the difference in production costs is a fact due to a change in the equation, referring to drop in price of the Egyptian pound and the Turkish Lira. He added that the Lira decline pours into interest of the their steel production as it does not depend on imported components except for importing 50% of the scrap, which means costs of producing Turkish steel decrease by USD 70, compared to the Egyptian steel production which declines by US$50, in addition to importing most of the components at the black market prices. He also called on the government to consider interests of economy.

Mr Mohamed Hanafy general director of the chamber, said they filed complaint to the ministry and attached to it documents that prove excessive increase in importing over the past two months. He added they demanded limiting the importing through imposing fees.

Total amount of imported Turkish steel, between January and October 2013, reached 60,000 tonnes. It jumped to 120,000 tonnes from November to 17 December.