According to the preliminary data, in the first nine 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 26.97 million metric tons and 31.94 million metric tons respectively. Meanwhile, during the period in question, Ukraine's pig iron production rose nine percent to 26.6 million metric tons, compared to the corresponding period of 2006.
During the given period, Ukraine saw a five percent increase in its steel pipe production to 2.04 million metric tons and a five percent increase in its coke production to 14.85 million metric tons.
In its iron ore segment, in the January-September 2007 period Ukraine produced 57.8 million metric tons of iron ore - up seven percent, 45.6 million metric tons of iron ore concentrate - up nine percent, 16.9 million metric tons of pellets - up 10 percent, and 37.23 million metric tons of agglomerate - up five percent, all compared to the first nine months of 2006.
In addition, during the January-September 2007 period scrap supplies to the Ukrainian steel mills increased by four percent year on year to 5.1 million metric tons.