OREANDA-NEWS. March 23, 2012. The crude steel production by the Brazilian steel mills totaled 2.8 million tonnes in February 2012, up 3.4% from the 2.6 million tonnes produced in the equivalent period in 2011. However, shipments to domestic costumers slid 2.8% to 1.7 million tonnes in the same comparison basis. These figures were released by Instituto Aco Brasil (IABr).

February’s domestic sales of rolled steel products dropped 3% compared to February 2011, with 3.1% and 2.9% reduction in flats and longs, respectively. On the other hand, lower value-added semi-finished steel shipments grew 6%, with blooms and billets as a highlight.

As far as steel imports are concerned, the Brazilian market saw a 24.2% jump to 319,000 tonnes in the February 2012/2011 comparison, which takes the overall steel product imports to 658,000 tonnes in the first two months of the year or 9.5% higher than last year’s same period figures.