According to the Brazil Steel Institute (IABr), Brazilian crude steel production in the first half of the current year amounted to 16.7 million metric tons, 1.5 percent lower year on year. In the same period, Brazilian rolled steel output decreased by 4.5 percent to 12.45 million metric tons, including 6.97 million metric tons of flat products - down 6.3 percent, and 5.49 million metric tons of long products - down two percent, all on year-on-year basis.
Meanwhile, Brazilian steelmakers produced 2.69 million metric tons of crude steel in June of the current year, down 6.6 percent from May and down 4.9 percent year on year. Brazil's rolled steel product output totaled 1.91 million mt in June, decreasing by 7.6 percent month on month and down 16.4 percent year on year. Of this total, the country's flat steel output stood at 1.12 million mt, increasing by 2.4 month on month and down 13 percent year on year, while Brazil's long steel output amounted to 790,500 metric tons, decreasing by 18.9 percent month on month and down 20.9 percent compared to June 2013.
Brazilian domestic steel sales decreased by 7.3 percent year on year in June this year to 1.89 million metric tons, while domestic sales in the first six months totaled 9.17 million metric tons, decreasing by two percent year on year.
Brazil's exports of steel products in June amounted to 733,400 metric tons, rising by 35.1 percent, and were worth US$514.1 million, up 33.1 percent, both compared to June 2013. Steel product exports in the first half of the current year totaled 3.92 million mt, worth US$2.91 billion, with decreases of 11.5 percent in volume and 2.6 percent in value compared to the corresponding period of 2013.
Meanwhile, the country's steel import volume in June increased by 35.3 percent year on year to 325,200 metric tons (US$328.2 million), while total steel imports in the first half amounted to 1.98 million metric tons (US$2.09 billion), representing a 17.9 percent increase in volume from the same period last year.