In the third quarter of the current year, Chinese finished steel exports to Latin America amounted to two million mt, with a value of $1.34 billion, implying an average export price of $659/mt, according to Alacero, the Latin American steel association. In the same period, China exported 19.8 million mt to the rest of the world for a total value of $14.03 billion, resulting in an average price of $708/mt, according to information provided by the Chinese customs authorities. Consequently, Latin America received finished steel from China at an average price seven percent lower than the price for the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, taking the first quarter of 2013 as zero base, the volume of Chinese finished steel exports to Latin America had increased by 113 percent by the end of the third quarter this year, while Chinese finished steel exports to the rest of the world increased by a smaller margin of 70 percent, also by the end of the third quarter. In the same interval, the average price for the rest of the world registered a drop of 10 percent, while a price decrease of 14 percent was seen for Latin America.
During the Latin American Steel Congress, Alacero-55, the leaders of the regional
industry had reiterated their call to governments in the region to work fast and decisively to assure a level playing field, in face of the great harm that Chinese unfair trade practices cause to
Latin America.