Thailand’s semi-finished steel imports jumped 67pc in Feb 2020 to 4,05,497 mt, from the prior year, as per a Davis Index data analysis. Imports also increased by 44% in Feb, over the prior month.
In February 2020, Oman was the highest semi-finished steel exporter to Thailand, with a 46pc share at 187,988mt.
This was followed by Japan who claimed 21pc or 84,593mt; Iran with 13pc or 50,743mt; India at 9pc or 36,596mt; Russia had 8pc or 32,825 mt; the rest came from other countries.
The country’s crude steel production is 4 mn mt and mostly scrap based.
In February, the rise in imports were of steel semis, as mills preferred to import billets rather than manufacture due to local cost factors.
Davis Index data analysis showed the country’s ferrous scrap imports down by 9pc in Feb 2020, at 67,986 mt, from the prior year.
Ferrous scrap imports decreased by 53pc over the prior month.
In February 2020, Japan was the highest ferrous scrap exporter to Thailand at 12pc or 7,867mt, followed by Panama at 9pc or 6,238mt; the United States at 9pc or 5,944mt; Costa Rica with 8pc or 5,725; Australia at 7pc or 4,729mt; and the rest coming in from other countries.