In the first 11 months last year, China’s overall finished steel exports amounted to 92.8 million mt, up 23 percent, with 7.6 million metric tons of this volume arriving in Latin America, up two percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to Alacero, the Latin American steel association. Accordingly, in the given period Latin America’s share in China’s finished steel exports decreased from 9.9 percent to 8.2 percent year on year. In November alone, Latin America's finished steel imports from China decreased by 22 percent month on month to 551,000 mt, down 25 percent compared to November 2014.
In the first 11 months last year, China's main finished steel export destinations in Latin America were Central America which received 1.5 million mt, equal to an 19 percent share of China's total finished steel exports to Latin America, Chile with 1.1 million mt with a 14 percent share, and Brazil with 1.0 million mt amounting to a 14 percent share.
Meanwhile, in the same period, Latin America received 4.3 million mt of flat steel and 3.0 million mt of long steel from China.