In 2010, Ukraine is expected to produce 27.2 million mt of pig iron, 32.2 million mt of crude steel and 30.2 million mt of finished steel products, Ukraine's Senior Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy Sergei Belenky said.
According to Mr. Belenky, currently the capacity utilization in Ukraine's steel production stands at 71.4 percent (at the peak of growth in May 2008 it amounted to 98.4 percent), while average daily crude steel production amounts to 90,200 mt (in May 2008 it amounted to 130,800 mt).
"In other words, production reserves for growth are very large, but the situation in the markets gives no grounds for a favorable long-term forecast so far," Mr. Belenky said. However, according to estimations, in 2011 the growth in Ukraine's steel output could reach 4-5 percent from the expected level in 2010, he said.
In 2009, Ukraine produced about 29.8 million mt of crude steel, about 25.7 million mt of pig iron and about 26.9 million mt of finished steel products.