Vtorchermet's sales fell 12 percent in January-April

Vtorchermet, one of the biggest Russian scrap exporters, has reported a 12 percent drop in sales year on year to 192,000 tons in January-April of 2006. The exports fell at the same period from last year's 200,900 tons to 168,100 tons. The decrease in sales was caused by severe winter conditions resulted in a 38 percent decrease in scrap collection since the start of the year.