As of April 7, the 529,113 mt of quotas of steel products allowed for import at regular steel import rates had a total utilization of 87 percent, according to the Brazilian foreign trade authority, Siscomex.
The utilization by product was as follows:
• Plates in coils: 2.6 percent
• HRC: 36 percent
• CRC: 82 percent
• Zinc Coated: 100 percent
• Galvalume: 100 percent
• Wire rod: 72 percent
• Seamed piping: 9 percent
Volumes exceeding these limits will be subject to a 25 percent import tariff, while these quotas are valid until May 31, 2025, meaning that for Galvalume and Zinc-coated products, which have production lower than demand in Brazil, all imports clearing customs until that date will be subject to the higher import tariff.
Local steel producers remain claiming that this strategy is insufficient to reduce steel imports, which they claim are traded at dumping prices, primarily from China.