Brazilian steelmakers increased production by 24pc in H1 2021 to meet local demand, according to the Brazilian Steel Institute (AçoBrasil).
Crude steel production grew to 18mn mt between January and June 2021, from 14.5mn mt in the same period last year. Whereas, this June’s production exceeded by 45.2pc at 3.1mn mt from 2.1mn mt in 2020.
Local consumers appear to have recovered after a lull brought on by COVID-19, noted the Institute to the media on Jul 23.
In the first six months of this year, apparent consumption rose 48.9pc to 14mn mt compared with 9.4mn mt in the first half of 2020. Consumption increased 41pc in June to 2.4mn mt from 1.7mn mt in the same month last year.
Under these conditions, domestic crude steel sales rose 44pc to 12.1mn mt in H1 2021 compared to 8.4mn mt in the same prior-year period. June sales climbed 32.8pc to 2.1mn mt from 1.5mn mt in the previous year.
Exports decreased 13.7pc from January-June 2021 to stand at to 5.1mn mt compared with 6mn mt during the same year-ago period. There was also a corresponding 14.1pc reduction in crude steel exports in June this year to 1.06mn mt from 916bn mt in the previous year.
On the other hand, total imports of rolled steel products increased 93.8pc in H1 2021 to 1.9mn mt from 1mn mt in the first half of 2020. Meanwhile, imports soared 125.9pc to 420,177mt as against 186,831mt in the same month of 2020.