Brazil’s crude steel production dropped by 22.6pc to 2.1mn mt in May from 2.8mn mt during the same month last year, according to the Brazilian Steel Institute (Aço Brasil).
The country’s rolled steel production fell by 29.3pc to 1.4mn mt in May, while flat steel production decreased by 39.2pc to 738,000mt and long steel output declined by 14.5pc to 683,000mt, all compared to the same month in 2019.
Brazil steel production and sales
| Products | May 2020 | % | May 2019 |
| Crude steel output | 2.18mn mt | -22.6pc | 2.82mn mt |
| Rolled steel output | 1.42mn mt | -29.3pc | 2.01mn mt |
| Flat steel output | 738,000mt | -39.2pc | 1.21mn mt |
| Long steel output | 683,000mt | -14.5pc | 798,000mt |
| Steel consumption | 1.34mn mt | -24.8pc | 1.79mn mt |
| Domestic sales | 1.19mn mt | -23.2pc | 1.55mn mt |
| Foreign sales | 966,000mt | -5.4pc | 1.02mn mt |
The South American country’s steel exports fell by 23.9pc to 940,000mt in May from 1.23mn mt the prior year, while steel imports dropped by 36pc to 149,000mt from 233,000mt, Aço Brasil noted.