World crude steel production decreased by 7% in June 2020 when compared to June 2019, according to figures released by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).
The figures, compiled based on data supplied by the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association, showed that 148.3Mt of crude steel was produced last month based on estimated production due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to worldsteel, world crude steel production totalled 873.1Mt in the first six months of 2020, down 6% when compared to the same period in 2019. Asia produced 642Mt in the first half of the year, down 3% over the first half of 2019. The European Union produced 68.3Mt of crude steel in the first half of 2020, down 18.7% compared with the first half of 2019. In North America, crude steel production in the first half of 2020 was 50.2Mt, a decrease of 17.6% compared with the same period in 2019.
China produced 91.6Mt of crude steel in June 2020, up 4.5% compared to June 2019, while in India the figure was 6.9Mt down 26.3% on June 2019 figures. Japan produced 5.6Mt of crude steel in June 2020, down 36.3% on June 2019. South Korea’s steel production for June 2020 was 5.1Mt, down 14.3% on June 2020.
Germany produced 2.5 Mt of crude steel in June 2020, down 27.3% on June 2019. Italy produced 1.8 Mt, down 13.0%, while France and Spain each produced 0.8Mt, down 34.9% and 31.5% respectively on June 2019 figures.
The United States produced 4.7Mt of crude steel in June 2020, a decrease of 34.5% compared to June 2019.
In the CIS, production is estimated to be 7.9Mt in June 2020, down 5% on June 2019, while in Ukraine a figure of1.8 Mt was up 9% on June 2019.
Turkey’s crude steel production for June 2020 was 2.8Mt, up by 4.1%.