Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade has forecast a growth of four to six percent in the industrial production of the country's metallurgical industry.
Accordingly, in 2011 Russia is expected to produce 102.8 million mt of iron ore concentrate - up 3.3 percent year on year, 30.8 million mt of metallurgical coke - up 3.7 percent, 49.5 million mt of pig iron - up 4.2 percent, 67 million mt of crude steel - up 4.7 percent, 57.5 million mt of rolled steel products - up 4.5 percent, and 8.8 million mt of steel pipes - up 7.3 percent, all compared to the expected level of output in 2010.
Meanwhile, in 2011, the country's domestic consumption of finished rolled steel products is expected to amount to 32.7 million mt - up 7.9 percent year on year, while steel pipe consumption is expected to be at the level of 2010, i.e., 8.5 million mt.
According to the ministry's forecast, in 2011 Russia's export of finished rolled steel products will increase by 1.7 percent year on year to 30.5 million mt, while steel pipe exports will grow by 18.2 percent year on year to 1.3 million mt, based on the intentions of Russian pipe producers to participate in the construction of major international pipelines.
The share of imports in Russia's domestic rolled steel product consumption will amount to 10.9 percent in 2010, decreasing to 9.8 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, the share of imports in the country's pipe consumption will amount to 11.8 percent in 2010, and is expected to decline to 11.2 percent in 2011.