According to data released by the Latin American Steel Association (Alacero), Latin America’s crude steel production in the January-May period of this year decreased by five percent year on year to 25.6 million mt. In May, the region produced 5.18 million mt of crude steel, falling one percent year on year.
The region’s production of finished steel in the January-May period was 21.1 million mt, down eight percent year on year. The main finished steel producers were Brazil, with 9.4 million mt (45 percent of the total) and Mexico with 7.3 million mt (35 percent of the total).
Meanwhile, in the first four months, Latin America’s finished steel consumption decreased by four percent year on year to 21.5 million mt, with rolled steel imports accounting for 37 percent of the region’s total consumption in the given period.
In April this year, Latin America imported 2.11 million mt of finished steel, down 0.5 percent as compared to the same period of the previous year, while finished steel exports from the region decreased by seven percent year on year to 809,000 mt. As a result, the region recorded a trade deficit of 1.3 million mt of finished steel in the given month.