According to the figures released by the Italian steel producers' association Federacciai, in April this year Italy's crude steel output decreased by 3.2 percent year on year to 2.409 million metric tons, declining for the first time on year-on-year basis since December 2009.
In the first four months of the current year, total Italian crude steel output reached 9.797 million mt, marking an increase of 3.4 percent compared to the same period of 2011.
In addition, Federacciai also released Italy's long and flat steel output data for March. Accordingly, in the given month Italy's long steel output was down 4.4 percent, totaling 1.222 million metric tons, while its flat steel output rose by 4.9 percent reaching 1.510 million metric tons, both year on year.
On the other hand, in the first three months of 2012 Italy's long steel production amounted to 3.140 million metric tons, down 4.4 percent year on year, while its flat rolled product output climbed up by 5.1 percent to 4.201 million metric tons.
Compared to the pre-crisis first quarter of 2008, in January-March this year Italy's crude steel production decreased by 12.97 percent, its long steel output declined by 32.1 percent, while its flat rolled production increased by 7.96 percent.