Turkey's total oil imports decreased by 7.2% to 3.5 million tonnes in March this year compared to the same month of 2019, according to Turkish energy watchdog's data on Wednesday.

Crude oil imports, the category with the highest oil import volume, increased by 7.2% during that period to reach 2.68 million tonnes, Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) said in its monthly oil market report.

In March 2020, Turkey imported the highest amount of crude from Iraq at 1.3 million tonnes. Russia and Kazakhstan followed with 485,826 tonnes and 306,156 tonnes, respectively.

Oil refinery product output increased by 9% to 3 million tonnes in March 2020. While diesel production was up 45.3% to 1.39 million tonnes, gasoline production decreased by nearly 2.9% to 402,999 tonnes in the same month.

Total domestic oil product sales in March rose by 8.1% to 2.06 million tonnes compared to the same month of 2019.

By Nuran Erkul Kaya

Anadolu Agency

energy@aa.com.tr