Acero Argentino (AA), the Argentine chamber of the steel industry, reported that the country's crude steel production reached 387,400 mt in March, up more than 42 percent from February’s 272,200 mt total.
On a similar comparative basis, the production of HRC increased by 114 percent to 128,100 mt, CRC production increased by 63.2 percent to 80,400 mt, while the production of long products increased by 43.9 percent to 127,500 mt.
When compared with March 2025, the data shows crude steel production increasing by 17.1 percent, HRC production declining by 32.3 percent, CRC production declining by 8.9 percent, and long products production increasing by 3.3 percent.
In a statement, AA said Argentina’s steel value chain is in a severe downturn, with output down more than 10 percent year on year and idle capacity reaching 60 percent in some segments. AA added that weak domestic demand is being worsened by import pressure—especially from China, which is saturating global markets with subsidized steel—while Argentina’s national, provincial, and municipal tax burden discourages local value-added production.
AA added that, in this scenario, the energy sector (Vaca Muerta), agriculture, and freight transport (trailers and semi-trailers) remain genuine drivers of steel demand. In contrast, other key segments show weakness: civil construction is still concentrated on a few private projects that consume concrete in their initial stages, while the automotive industry suffers from a paradox of sales growth, but with declining domestic production due to the weight of imported vehicles.On a similar comparative basis, the production of HRC increased by 114 percent to 128,100 mt, CRC production increased by 63.2 percent to 80,400 mt, while the production of long products increased by 43.9 percent to 127,500 mt.