Latin American crude steel production fell on an annual basis in 2020 driven by lower output from Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest World Steel Association (worldsteel) data.
Brazil’s crude steel production declined by 4.9pc to 30.9mn mt in 2020, from 32.5mn mt in 2019, and fell in Mexico by 8.3pc to 16.8mn mt from 18.3mn mt during the same period, according to worldsteel figures.
Argentina’s crude steel output dropped by 21.4pc to 3.6mn mt in 2020 from 4.6mn mt in the previous year, while Colombia’s steel output also fell by 15.5pc to 1.12mn mt from 1.33mn mt during the same period.
Peru and Ecuador also reported reduced outputs, falling by 45.4pc to 671,000mt from 1.23mn mt, and by 21.5pc to 477,000mt, from 607,000mt, respectively, during the same period under review. Chile’s crude steel output, on the other hand, rose by 2.8pc to 1.16mn mt in 2020, from 1.13mn mt in 2019.