According to the Brazilian Steel Institute IABr, crude steel production jumped 10.4 percent year-on-year in April to 2.9 million metric tons (mt) due to steady demand, and fewer imports.
Production of rolled steel products slumped 2.4 percent from a year ago to 2.1 million mt, but local mill sales in Brazil were still up 8 percent to 1.9 million mt over April 2010. Despite higher production, however, steel consumption in Brazil fell 3.7 percent in April to 2.2 million mt.
Mill export shipments were 857,000 mt in April, reflecting an 8.9 percent year-on-year increase in tonnage, but a 52.3 percent value surge to $674.2 million. Imports on the other hand were only 261,200 mt tons in April-down 47.8 percent over the same period last year.
Cumulatively, crude steel production in 2011 has been steadily growing over the last four months, as exports are rising and imports continue to decline. Output totaled 11.5 million mt in January-April 2011-up 7.5 percent from the first four months of 2011. Export volumes from January to April rose 30.7 percent while imports into Brail fell 38 percent, both on a year-on-year basis.