World crude steel production fell slightly in March

According to the latest statistics released by the World Steel Association, crude steel production in 66 countries was 137.322 million tonnes in March this year, down slightly 0.5 percent from 138.002 million tonnes in the same month a year earlier.

The total crude steel production of the EU-28 countries in March this year amounted to 14.124 million tons, a sharp decrease of 8.7 percent from the production of 14.474 million tons in March 2015. The rest of the European countries smelted 2.951 million tonnes of steel, slightly up 0.7 percent from 2.929 million tonnes in March 2015.

CIS crude steel production rose slightly by 2.3 percent from 8.546 million tonnes in March last year to 8.742 million tonnes in March 2016. Total crude steel production in North America increased 3.6 percent from 9.154 million tonnes in March 2015 to 9.483 million tonnes in March this year.

The total volume of crude steel production in the South American region in March this year decreased by 13.3 percent to 3.211 million tons. African countries received 1.032 million tonnes of crude steel, significantly down 17.2 percent from their March 2015 production of 1.247 million tonnes.

Total crude steel production in the Middle East reached 2.324 million tonnes in March this year, up 3.9 percent from an output of 2.236 million tonnes. March 2015. Asia's crude steel production rose marginally by 0.8 percent from 94.309 to 95.072 million tonnes. Oceania's total crude steel production this year is down 5.3 percent from 0.403 million tonnes in March 2015 to 0.382 million tonnes in March.