By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA

Turkey's crude steel production rose 3.7 percent on an annual basis in the first six months of the year, reaching 18.9 million tons, the Turkish Steel Producers' Association reported late Wednesday.

In June, Turkey’s crude steel production was up by 0.7 percent year-on-year to reach 3 million tons, the association added.

Meanwhile, the country's steel exports fell 2.5 percent annually to reach 9.4 million tons in the first six months of 2018, according to the association. The value of steel exports surged 22.4 percent to $7.1 billion in the period.

After U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial decision to raise steel tariffs, steel exports to the country fell 30 percent to $71.5 million in June, and also dropped 42 percent to $421 million in the first six months of the year.

In March, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported iron and steel, and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, causing rifts between the U.S. and its major trading partners.