According to the Brazil Steel Institute (IABr), the country's crude steel production in the first half of 2013 was 17 million metric tons, 2.2 percent lower than in the first half of 2012. In the first six months this year, Brazilian rolled steel output increased slightly by 0.9 percent to 12.9 million metric tons, including 7.4 million metric tons of flat products - up 0.7 percent, and 5.5 million metric tons of long products - up 1.1 percent, all compared to the corresponding period of 2012.
Meanwhile, Brazilian steelmakers produced 2.8 million metric tons (mt) of crude steel in June of the current year, reflecting a six percent decrease from May and up 2.7 percent compared to June last year. Brazil's rolled steel product output totaled 2.3 million mt in June, falling by 1.8 percent month on month and up five percent year on year. Of this total, the country's flat steel output stood at 1.3 million mt, stable month on month and up 3.3 percent year on year, while Brazil's long steel output amounted to 918,900 metric tons, falling by 4.1 percent month on month and up 7.3 percent compared to June 2012.
Brazilian domestic steel sales rose 3.7 percent in June this year comparing to June 2012, totaling 2 million metric tons, while domestic sales in the first half totaled 11.3 million metric tons, increasing by 2.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
Brazil's exports of steel products in June amounted to 543,600 metric tons, falling by 31.5 percent, worth US$386 million, down 36.8 percent, both compared to June 2012. Steel product exports in the first half of this year totaled 4.4 million mt, worth US$3 billion, with decreases of 14.4 percent in volume and 19.9 percent in value compared to the corresponding period of 2012.
Meanwhile, the country's steel import volume in June totaled 239,800 metric tons (US$352 million), with total steel imports in the first half amounting to 1.7 million metric tons (US$2.1 billion), representing a 14.6 percent decrease from the same period last year.