According to the preliminary data, in the first quarter of 2008 Ukraine increased its finished steel products output by four percent and its crude steel output by six percent year on year to 11 million metric tons and 9.42 million metric tons respectively. Meanwhile, during the period in question, Ukraine's pig iron production rose four percent to 9.1 million metric tons, compared to the corresponding period of 2007.
During the given period, Ukraine saw a 14 percent decrease in its steel pipe production to 590,000 metric tons but an eight percent increase in its coke production to 5.31 million metric tons.
In its iron ore segment, in January-March 2008 Ukraine produced 19.84 million metric tons of iron ore - up five percent, 15.8 million metric tons of iron ore concentrate - up seven percent, 5.6 million metric tons of pellets - up three percent, and 12.48 million metric tons of agglomerate - up one percent, all compared to January-March 2007.
In addition, during the first three months of 2008 scrap supplies to the Ukrainian steel mills went up by nine percent year on year to 1.66 million metric tons.