According to the data issued by Ukrainian state enterprise Ukrpromzovnishekspertyza, in 2008 Ukraine registered a 19.3 percent decrease year on year in its domestic consumption of steel products, to 8.8 million mt. Meanwhile, during the period in question, imports of steel products to Ukraine increased by 9.5 percent year on year to 2.3 million metric tons, including one million metric tons of rolled steel products similar to those produced in Ukraine, said Ukrpromzovnishekspertyza's director Vladimir Vlasyuk.
On the other hand, in 2008 domestic steelmakers saw a 26.1 percent decrease year on year in their shipments of steel products to the Ukrainian market, which declined to 6.5 million mt.