Ukraine slashes steel output 60% in H1

MOSCOW. July 13 (Interfax) - Ukraine's steel roll production plummeted 58.4% year-on-year in January-June 2022 to 4.018 million tonnes, according to preliminary data.

Ukrainian media quoted the Ukrmetallurgprom association as saying crude steel output fell 58.2% year-on-year to 4.539 million tonnes and pig iron production fell 57.9% to 4.538 million tonnes.

Roll production fell 2.7% year-on-year in January-May 2022 to 3.789 million tonnes, crude steel output fell 52.8% to 4.244 million tonnes and pig iron 53.3% to 4.154 million tonnes.

Roll fell 34.2% to 3.116 million tonnes in Q1 2022, crude steel 31.2% to 3.641 million tonnes and pig iron 34.1% to 3.499 million tonnes.

Roll production fell 9.2% to 2.859 million tonnes between January 1 and February 24, when the steel industry was mothballed, crude steel 8.2% to 3.225 million tonnes and pig iron 10.7% to 3.132 million tonnes.

Roll output rose 0.5% year-on-year in January alone to 1.671 million tonnes and crude steel 0.9% to 1.857 million tonnes, but pig iron fell 1.8% to 1.785 million tonnes.

Roll production grew 3.5% to 19.079 million tonnes in 2021, crude steel rose 3.6% to 21.366 million tonnes and pig iron grew 3.6% also, to 21.165 million tonnes.

Scrap yards reduced scrap metal purchases 64.1% year-on-year in H1 2022 to 710,000 tonnes.

Ukrainian media quoted the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals or UAVtormet as saying ferrous scrap exports fell 87.5% to 28,700 tonnes, from 231,000 tonnes in H1 2022, while scrap imports fell to 1,500 tonnes from 12,600 tonnes.

Scrap supply to Ukrainian steel mills fell 60.1% year-on-year to 659,400 tonnes.

Scrap metal stocks at steel enterprises were estimated at about 60,000 tonnes as of July 1, 2022