Ukraine issues production data for January

According to preliminary data released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Industrial Policy, in the first month of 2007 the country registered a 13 percent increase in its pig iron production, an 11 percent increase in its crude steel production and a 13 percent increase in its finished steel products output year on year. The respective figures in metric tons were 2.95 million, 3.6 million and 3.05 million. In addition, during the given period, Ukraine produced 6.3 million metric tons of iron ore – up 10 percent, 4.94 million metric tons of iron ore concentrate – up 13 percent, 4.3 million metric tons of agglomerate – up five percent, 1.9 million metric tons of pellets – up 34 percent, 1.6 million metric tons of coke- up one percent and 201,000 metric tons of pipes – up 31 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2006. In January 2007, the scrap supplies to the Ukrainian steel mills totaled 400,000 metric tons – an eight percent increase compared to January 2006.