Imports of semi-finished steel fell sharply in Thailand in May this year, with both billet and slabs decreasing, though with the decline in billet imports being more significant.
Import billet shipments to Thailand totaled 62,127 mt in May, down by 45 percent year on year and by 47 percent month on month, according to official customs data. In the given month, import shipments were reported mainly from India and Russia, while there were no imports from Iran, which is one of the biggest suppliers to the country. India became the largest exporter of billet to Thailand, sending 42,086 mt in May, up by 26.6 percent compared to May 2019. Most market sources believe that shipments from Iran will resume in the coming months, taking into account the already concluded deals for June-August shipment.
Slab imports amounted to 82,862 mt in May, down by 23 percent from the same period last year, but up 57 percent from April, with May one of the worst months in terms of slab imports recently. Japan and Russia were the main suppliers of slabs to Thailand in May.
In the first five months of the current year, semis shipments to Thailand dropped by 15 percent year on year to 1.368 million mt. The decline in slab imports was sharper due to weak imports in the first months of the year.
