Latin American crude steel production increased slightly in March, while rolled steel output, exports and imports declined, reflecting mixed conditions in the regional steel market amid still-weak demand from key consuming sectors.
According to The Latin American Steel Association’s (Alacero) data, crude steel production in Latin America totaled 4.9 million mt in March, up 1.1 percent year on year, while first-quarter output decreased by 1.9 percent to 13.9 million mt. Rolled steel production fell by 2.2 percent year on year in March to 4.4 million mt, bringing the January-March total to 12.6 million mt, down 1.8 percent compared to the same period of 2025. Apparent rolled steel consumption remained almost unchanged at 6.5 million mt, increasing by just 0.1 percent year on year.
Latin American steel imports amounted to 2.5 million mt in March, down 8.6 percent year on year, while imports in the first quarter totaled 7.6 million mt, decreasing by 1.2 percent. Despite the monthly decline, imported steel continued to represent close to 40 percent of regional apparent consumption in the first quarter, maintaining a significant position in the Latin American steel market. In the January-March period, imports rose in Brazil by 11.4 percent and in Colombia by 16.3 percent, while declining in Mexico by 18.1 percent and in Argentina by 2.6 percent.
Meanwhile, Latin American steel exports fell by 13.4 percent year on year in March to 540,000 mt and decreased by 11.7 percent in the first quarter to 1.7 million mt. Brazil was the only major regional exporter to record growth in the January-March period, while exports from Colombia, Mexico and Argentina declined. As a result, the region posted a steel trade deficit of 1.9 million mt in March, with the first-quarter deficit reaching 5.9 million mt.
Demand conditions remained subdued in the opening months of 2026, as most steel-consuming sectors continued to show negative performance. The main exceptions were the automotive sector, which grew by 1.1 percent year on year in the first four months, and construction activity, which remained broadly in line with the first quarter of the previous year.
