ISTANBUL, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's steel sector will follow a policy based on the diversification of its export markets in 2021 with a significant focus on the Far East, South America, and West Africa, said Adnan Aslan, chairman of the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association.

"In the new period, we will increase our export figures by diversifying our export markets, and we will focus primarily on the markets in the Far East, South America, and West Africa," Aslan told Xinhua on Friday.

The Turkish steel industry achieved 20.6 million tons of export in 2020, with a 2.8 percent year-on-year loss mostly caused by the disadvantageous consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aslan pointed out that the industry could not accomplish most of the planned activities and projects last year due to the pandemic.

The sector exported 12.7 billion U.S. dollars' worth of products to 197 countries, with a decrease of 8.2 percent on a value basis, Aslan continued.

"But with the expansion of the vaccination worldwide, we will stimulate all the suspended plans in the upcoming period and increase our export figures with the addition of new markets," he noted.

In his view, the sector aims to reach 23 million tons of export in quantity in 2021 and create approximately 15 billion dollars of revenue.

For Aslan, the reliability of Turkish companies operating in the sector is rising steadily.

To find new markets in the targeted regions, the sector representatives plan to follow and attend all the leading conferences and fairs in the international arena, he said. Enditem