Brazil imported 21,900 mt of steel plate with more than 10mm in thickness during April, at an average FOB price of $719/mt, comparable to 2,500 mt at $549/mt, same conditions, in March, according to the local ministry of development, industry and foreign trade, MDIC.
The upswing reflects chiefly 16,900 mt imported from Austria at $737/mt FOB, against no imports from that country in March, while 2,800 mt were imported from Ukraine at $604/mt FOB, and 1,200 mt from Asian countries at $533/mt FOB.
The Austrian plates, of a special grade not produced in Brazil, were imported by the pipe producer Confab, linked to the Tenaris group.
In the Brazilian domestic market, plates of the basic commercial grades are sold by the country’s sole producer Usiminas at the equivalent to $650/mt, ex-works, no taxes included, a price stable since March.
A distributor in the southern region told SteelOrbis that he is selling similar plates at BRL2,230/mt ($734/mt), FOB, all taxes included except IPI.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian exports of plates fetched 1,800 mt in April, from 12,100 mt in March, with exports to the US reduced by 90 percent to 700 mt at $751/mt and exports to Latin American countries reduced by 64 percent to 1,100 mt at $1,009/mt, both FOB conditions.
1 US$ = BRL 3.04