Ukraine reduces steel output 5% in Jan-Feb
KYIV. March 2 (Interfax) - Ukrainian companies reduced production of crude steel and rolled steel products by 5% in the first two months of 2012, but increased production of pipes, pig iron and pellets, tentative figures show.
Production in the first two months of 2012 fell 5% to 4.628 million tonnes of finished rolled products and 5% to 5.283 million tonnes of crude steel, but rose 1% to 4.647 million tonnes of pig iron, a government source told Interfax.
Pipe production grew 8% to 378,000 tones in the two months. Production of metalware plunged 28% to 32,000 tonnes, and coke output slumped 1% to 3.144 million tonnes.
Deliveries of scrap metal to steel plants plunged 43% to 563,000 tonnes.
The government official also said that the country increased production of iron ore by 5% to 13.062 million tonnes in the two months, and production of iron ore concentrate rose 4% to 10.83 million tonnes. Production of prepared iron ore materials grew by 6% to 10.651 million tonnes, including 3% to 6.874 million tonnes of sinter and 13% to 3.778 million tonnes of pellets.
Coke industry association Ukrkoks told Interfax that coke production totalled 1.492 million tonnes in February.
Ukrkoks general director Anatoly Starovoit attributed the slump in coke production to the reduction of output at steel plants, which hurt demand.
"We expect an increase in demand for coke in April," Starovoit said, adding that the country's coke-chemical plants have a full supply of coking coal, with the shortfall in domestic coal supplies offset by imports.