In 2009, Russia's domestic steel consumption may fall by 25-30 percent year on year to 27 million metric tons while regional sales could amount to just 18 million mt, Trade House Severstal-Invest's strategic planning director Vladimir Bystrov said at the second All-Russian Regional Steel Trade Conference held in Ekaterinburg, Russia on February 12-13.
According to Mr. Bystrov, the global economic crisis has forced steel consumers to reschedule their plans for the next three-five years, and is it supposed that the domestic steel consumption level of 2006, which amounted to 35.5 million mt, will be reached again only in 2011.