Ukraine boosts iron ore exports 2.5-fold in Q1

MOSCOW. April 15 (Interfax) - Ukraine boosted iron ore exports 2.5-fold year-on-year in Q1 2024 to 9.004 million tonnes, Ukrainian media reported, quoting information published by the State Customs Service.

The exports grew 2.1-fold in value, to $863.315 million. Most went to China - 43.02% of exports in value, Slovakia - 17.02% and Poland - 12.41%.

Ukraine imported 245 tonnes of iron ore commodities for $67,000, compared with 36 tonnes for $22,000 a year previously, mostly from the Netherlands - 31.82%, Norway - 19.70% and Italy - 18.18%.

Ferroalloy exports plummeted to 687 tonnes from 144,544 tonnes and to $2.42 million from $125.327 million, mostly to Poland - 74.14% in value, Uzbekistan - 13.84% and the Netherlands - 4.83%.

Ferroalloy imports rose 16.4-fold to 26,301 tonnes from 1,618 tonnes and 5.9-fold to $41.453 million, mostly from Poland - 48.93%, Kazakhstan - 12.27% and Norway - 12.08%.

Ukraine did not export manganese ore in February or March but shipped 44,903 to the United States for $6.563 million in January. The country did not import manganese ore or concentrate in January or March but imported 21 tonnes for $21,000 from Belgium in February.

Conversion pig iron exports fell 19.4% in Q1 to 362,234 tonnes and 19% to $133.97 million to the United States - 80.58% in value, Italy - 9.19% and Poland - 4.85%.

Ukraine imported 8 tonnes of pig iron for $17,000 from Germany in February this year compared with 10 tonnes for $22,000 from Germany in the whole of Q1 2023.

Exports of carbon steel semis rose 2.3-fold in Q1 to 451,151 tonnes and 2.16-fold to $221.183 million to Bulgaria - 34.23% in value, Poland - 20.04% and Italy - 9.99%.

Ukraine imported 5 tonnes of semis for $5,000 from Egypt in Q1 2024 compared with 3,400 tonnes for $63,000 from China a year previously.

Ukrainian increased export of ferrous metal scrap 52.2% to 61,261 tonnes an 65.7% to $19.431 million to Poland - 90.56%, Greece - 5.42% and Germany - 3.89%. The country imported 254,000 tonnes of scrap worth $94,000, including from Slovakia - 68.82%, Poland - 13.98% and the Netherlands - 10.75%, while it imported 46 tonnes for $16,000 from Slovakia a year previously.

Exports of metal goods fell 5.6% to $230.009 million and imports grew 33.9% to $233.253 million.

Revenue from ferrous metal exports rose 28.9% year-on-year in Q1 2024 to $752.5 million or 7.48% of overall merchandise exports, up from 5.66% a year previously. Ferrous metal export revenue was $230.184 million in March.

Imports grew 23.95 year-on-year to $322.788 million in Q1, including $101.233 million in March.