Brazil exported 157,333 mt of finished carbon steel products in March, priced at $112.384 million, while the nation imported 398,311 mt at $265.590 million, according to SECEX, Brazil's foreign trade secretariat of the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade.
This compares with Brazil exporting 148,164 mt at $108.128 million and importing 442,557 mt at $291.674 million in February
Such as in February, the large volume of imports was primarily due to coated flat products from China, totaling 190,420 mt. These shipments were expected to bypass antidumping duties imposed by authorities on such products from China through anticipated customs clearance.
Total imports from China in March were equivalent to 63 percent of the total, against 71 percent in February.
The numbers of March indicate a commercial deficit in volume amounting to 240,978 mt, against a deficit of 294,393 mt in February.
In terms of USD value there was a deficit of $153.205 million in March and $183,545 million in February.
In volume, the main exported items in March were wire rod (26 percent), rebars (22.8 percent), HRC (20.4 percent), and CRC (17 percent).
The main imported items were coated flat products (54.2 percent), HRC (18.5 percent), rebars (7.3 percent ) , and wire rod (7.2 percent).
