In the first two months of this year, China’s overall finished steel exports amounted to 12.8 million mt, down 27 percent, with 1.3 million metric tons of this volume arriving in Latin America, up five percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to Alacero, the Latin American steel association. Accordingly, in the given period Latin America’s share in China’s finished steel exports increased from 6.9 percent to 9.9 percent year on year. In February alone, Latin America's finished steel imports from China decreased by 46 percent month on month to 443,000 mt, down 26 percent compared to February 2016.
In the January-February period, China's main finished steel export destinations in Latin America were Chile which received 248,000 mt, equal to a 20 percent share of China's total finished steel exports to Latin America, Central America with 235,000 mt equal to a 19 percent share, and Peru with 194,000 mt amounting to a 15 percent share.
Meanwhile, in the same period, Latin America received 831,000 mt of flat steel and 290,000 mt of long steel from China.