Steel production in Ukraine falls by more than 17% in 2017

Steel production in Ukraine fell 17.7 percent year on year in January-May this year to 8.7 million tons.

Steel production rose 5.5 percent in 2016 to 24.2 million tonnes as the industry rebounded after a sharp drop in 2015 due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where most of the country's steel production is based.

Data from the Union of Steel and Pig Iron Producers showed that pig iron production fell 22.1 percent to 7.9 million tonnes in the first five months of this year, while rolled steel production fell 20 percent to 7.5 million tonnes.

Steel, chemicals and agricultural products make up the bulk of Ukraine's exports.