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Iron and steel scrap: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in iron and steel scrap totaled $44.1 billion (100.1 million tonnes). The top exporters were the United States (14%), Germany (10%) and the United Kingdom (8%); the top importers were Turkey (19%), India (11%) and Belgium (6%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 15%.

Summary

World trade
$44.1billion
Tonnes
100.1million tonnes
Price per tonne
$440
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. United States$6.1 billion · 13.9%
    see destinations
  2. Germany$4.4 billion · 9.9%
    see destinations
  3. United Kingdom$3.4 billion · 7.6%
    see destinations
  4. Netherlands$2.9 billion · 6.7%
    re-exports · see destinations
  5. France$2.7 billion · 6.1%
    see destinations
  6. Japan$2.6 billion · 5.9%
    see destinations
  7. Canada$2 billion · 4.5%
    see destinations
  8. Belgium$1.6 billion · 3.6%
    re-exports · see destinations
  9. Poland$1.4 billion · 3.1%
  10. Australia$1.1 billion · 2.4%
  11. Czechia$875 million · 2%
  12. Sweden$678 million · 1.5%
  13. Denmark$587 million · 1.3%
  14. Romania$583 million · 1.3%
  15. Mexico$565 million · 1.3%
  16. Lithuania$554 million · 1.3%
  17. Austria$552 million · 1.3%
  18. Italy$524 million · 1.2%
  19. Hong Kong$458 million · 1%
    re-exports
  20. United Arab Emirates$426 million · 0.97%

Top importers

  1. Turkey$8.4 billion · 19.1%
    see sources
  2. India$4.8 billion · 11%
    see sources
  3. Belgium$2.6 billion · 5.9%
    re-exports · see sources
  4. Italy$2.5 billion · 5.6%
    see sources
  5. United States$2 billion · 4.4%
    see sources
  6. Germany$1.9 billion · 4.3%
    see sources
  7. Bangladesh$1.6 billion · 3.6%
    see sources
  8. Egypt$1.6 billion · 3.6%
    see sources
  9. Vietnam$1.6 billion · 3.6%
    see sources
  10. Netherlands$1.4 billion · 3.2%
    re-exports · see sources
  11. Pakistan$1.3 billion · 3.1%
  12. Taiwan$1.3 billion · 3%
  13. Spain$1.3 billion · 3%
  14. South Korea$1.2 billion · 2.8%
  15. Finland$1.1 billion · 2.4%
  16. Mexico$803 million · 1.8%
  17. Luxembourg$658 million · 1.5%
  18. France$552 million · 1.3%
  19. Portugal$516 million · 1.2%
  20. Morocco$511 million · 1.2%

Trend

Who sells it

The United States has been the top exporter since 2000

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • United States 6.1
  • Germany 4.4
  • United Kingdom 3.4
  • Netherlands 2.9
  • France 2.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
United States2.16.1
Germany1.94.4
United Kingdom0.63.4
Netherlands0.842.9
France0.72.7

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 131% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $440

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$190
1996$169
1997$163
1998$144
1999$118
2000$144
2001$128
2002$141
2003$195
2004$282
2005$299
2006$337
2007$432
2008$514
2009$330
2010$430
2011$491
2012$462
2013$428
2014$427
2015$326
2016$279
2017$340
2018$388
2019$335
2020$317
2021$487
2022$518
2023$454
2024$440

What it includes

  • 7204 · Ferrous scrap

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products