India’s crude steel output slumps 13%

VIJAYAWADA: Indicating that it was not immune to the Covid-19 pandemic, which currently has the world in its vice-like grip, Indian crude steel production slumped by 13.9% in March 2020 to 8.7 million tonnes (mt) compared to the same month in 2019, according to the World Steel Association, or worldsteel.
In a press release emailed to TOI, the Brussels, Belgium-based worldsteel said that China produced 79 mt of crude steel, a decrease of 1.7% from March last year.
“World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to worldsteel was 147.1 mt in March 2020, a 6% decrease compared to March 2019. Due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, many of this month’s figures are estimates from national and regional associations, which may be revised with next month’s production update,” the press release said.
“World crude steel production was 443 mt in the first three months of 2020, down by 1.4% compared to the same period in 2019. Asia produced 315.2 mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, a decrease of 0.3% over the first quarter of 2019. The EU produced 38.3 mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, down by 10% compared to the same quarter of 2019. North America’s crude steel production in the first three months of 2020 was 29.5 mt, a decrease of 4% compared to the first quarter of 2019,” it said.
In the EU, Germany estimates 2.9 mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 20.9% on March 2019. Italy produced 1.4 mt of crude steel in March 2020, down by 40.2% on March 2019. France estimates 1.2 mt of crude steel production in March 2020, a 13.2 decrease compared to March 2019. Spain produced 1.2 mt of crude steel in March 2020, down 14.6% on March 2019, worldsteel said. Germany, Italy and France in Europe are among the worst-hit countries by Covid-19.
The US, which has emerged as the centre of the Covid-19 pandemic, produced 7.2 mt of crude steel in March 2020, a decrease of 6% compared to March 2019
worldsteel is one of the largest industry associations in the world, with members in every major steel-producing country. worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. Members represent around 85% of global steel production, the release said.