According to the statistics released by the Italian steel producers' association Federacciai, in the first four months of 2010 Italy's steel product exports totaled 5.19 million metric tons, up 24.3 percent, while its steel product imports reached 5.49 million metric tons, increasing by 24.3 percent, both compared to January-April 2009.
In the period in question, Italy's semi-finished steel product exports amounted to 344,000 metric tons, up 91.1 percent year on year. Meanwhile, the country's semi-finished steel product imports reached 1.28 million metric tons, up 28.8 percent year on year.
In January-April 2010, Italy's exports of long products totaled 1.1 million metric tons, down 5.3 percent, while its long product imports increased by 26.4 percent to 699,000 metric tons, both year on year.
On the other hand, during the first four months of 2010, Italy's flat product exports amounted to 2.14 million metric tons, with a year-on-year increase of 43.2 percent, while its flat product imports reached 3.08 million metric tons, up 27.3 percent year on year.