According to the data released by Belarus' National Statistical Committee, in the first quarter of 2010 the country registered a 3.2 percent decrease year on year in its crude steel production to 648,000 metric tons, and a 5.3 percent drop in its finished steel product output to 613,300 metric tons.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter, Belarus' outputs of steel pipe and steel cord registered increases of 86.6 and 10.3 percent year on year respectively to 40,200 and 24,700 metric tons. On the other hand, the country's steel wire rod production went down by 21.9 percent to 16,800 metric tons compared to Q1 2009.
Compared to February this year, the country's crude steel output in March increased by 6.8 percent, its finished steel products output went up by 4.9 percent, its pipe production rose by 26.8 percent, its steel wire rod output increased by 28.4 percent, and its steel cord production went up by 10.5 percent.
As of April 1 this year, Belarus' steelmakers had accumulated 5,700 mt of steel pipes in their warehouses, a figure which equals 47.7 percent of their average monthly pipe production volume. The total value of steel products accumulated in the warehouses of local steelmakers as of April 1 this year amounted to Belarus Ruble 96.2 billion (approx. $32.18 million).