According to the preliminary data, in the first eight months of 2007 Ukraine increased its finished steel products output by six percent and its crude steel output by five percent year on year to 23.96 million metric tons and 28.43 million metric tons respectively. Meanwhile, during the period in question Ukraine's pig iron production rose nine percent to 23.68 million metric tons, compared to the corresponding period of 2006.
During the given period, Ukraine saw an eight percent increase in its steel pipe production to 1.8 million metric tons and a five percent increase in its coke production to 13.2 million metric tons.
In its iron ore segment, in the January-August 2007 period Ukraine produced 51.3 million metric tons of iron ore - up seven percent, 40.4 million metric tons of iron ore concentrate - up nine percent, 14.9 million metric tons of pellets - up 11 percent, and 33.18 million metric tons of agglomerate - up five percent, compared to the first eight months of 2006.
In addition, during the January-August 2007 period, scrap supplies to the Ukrainian steel mills increased by five percent year on year to 4.53 million metric tons.