Russian exports of stainless steel products in the January-June period of this year decreased by 65.9 percent year on year to 4,839 mt, according to Russia-based SpetsStal Association.
The basis of the reduction was the primary supply of billets, exports of which decreased by 94.7 percent from 9,006 mt in January-June 2013 to 475 mt in January-June 2014. In the given period, exports of flat products of stainless steel decreased by 36.1 percent to 751 mt, wire exports amounted to 16 mt, seamless pipe exports totaled 924 mt, and welded pipe exports came to 31 mt, all year-on-year basis.
Exports of long products increased by 5.7 percent year on year to 2,642 mt in the January-June period of this year. 2,373 mt or almost 90 percent of total exports of long products were supplied to Ukraine.
According to experts, the corporative communication gap between Russia and Ukraine could lead to a complete shutdown of mutual supplies of stainless steel. Currently, the balance of supply is as follows. During the first half of 2014, Ukraine exported to Russia 12,322 mt of various kinds of stainless steel products worth $64.9 million. Russia supplied 3,227 mt worth $15.5 million to Ukraine. Thus, the Ukrainian deliveries exceeded the Russian deliveries by almost 3.8 times in volume and by almost 4.2 times in value.