Ukraine's iron ore exports fall 26% in 2023

MOSCOW. Jan 19 (Interfax) - Ukrainian mining companies reduced exports of iron ore products by 26% to 17.753 million tonnes in 2023.

Foreign currency revenue from iron ore exports plunged by 39.3% to $1.767 billion, Ukrainian media reported, citing statistics from the State Customs Service.

The biggest export markets for this commodity were Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland, which accounted for, respectively, 28.39%, 19.74% and 19.56% of shipments by value.

Ukraine's imports of iron ore products, meanwhile, more than doubled to 250 tonnes worth $135,000 from 101 tonnes worth $65,000 a year earlier, with 34.81% of these imports coming from Norway, 28.89% from Italy and 28.89% from the Netherlands.

Ukraine's exports of pig iron slumped 5.8% by volume to 1.249 million and 26.2% by value to $471.467 million in 2023. The biggest markets were Poland, Spain and the United States, accounting for, respectively, 51.91%, 21.41% and 13.15% of exports by value.

Pig iron imports rose to 154 tonnes worth $156,000 from 40 tonnes worth $23,000 in 2022, with 42.31% coming from Germany, 41.67% from Brazil and 16.03% from Poland.

Exports of semi-finished carbon steel products fell 36.7% by volume to 1.203 million tonnes and 48.9% by value to $608.516 million in 2023, of which 36.66% by value went to Bulgaria, 23.01% to Poland and 9.6% to Italy.

Imports of semi-finished carbon steel products totaled 96 tonnes, of which 98.26% came from China and 1.74% from Turkey, and were worth $172,000.

Ferroalloy exports fell only 1.5% by volume to 344,173 tonnes, but plunged 47.2% by value to $297.595 million. The main markets for this commodity were Poland, Turkey and the Netherlands, which accounted for, respectively, 52.79%, 14.13% and 8.46% of exports by value.

Ukraine's imports of ferroalloys totaled 14,203 tonnes worth $42.927 million in 2023, respectively 30.9% and 41% less than in 2022. Ukraine imported 23.94% of this from Poland, 16.08% from India and 14.35% from Armenia.