Latin American steel exports to the US increased in April this year despite reduced output from some mills in the region.
Brazil steel exports to the US increased by 3.4pc to 1.11mn mt in April this year, from 1.07mn mt of steel products in the same month last year, according to US Census Bureau data. Mexico’s steel shipments to the US jumped by 38.4pc to 347,296mt in April from 250,902mt in April 2019. On the other hand, steel exports to the US from Argentina plummetted by 93.3pc to 676mt in April this year from 10,199mt in the same month last year.
Exports of alloy steel products from Brazil to the US fell by 1.9pc to 325,819mt in April this year, from 332,214mt in the same month last year. Argentina’s alloy steel exports to the US also dropped by 87.5pc to 595mt in April, from 4,772mt during the same period last year. However, Mexican alloy steel products exports rose by 41.1pc to 84,381mt in April, from 59,791mt in April 2019.
Shipments of carbon non-alloy steel products to the US from Brazil rose by 6.1pc to 788,095mt in April from 742,135mt in the same month last year, while exports of these products to the US from Mexico increased by 38.6pc to 260,025mt from 187,580mt last year. Argentina’s carbon non-alloy steel exports plunged by 98.5pc in April to 81mt from 5,427mt exported in April last year.
Steel output drops
Brazil crude steel output dropped by 39pc to 1.8mn mt in April this year compared the same month the prior year, according to the latest data released by the World Steel Association (WSA). Mexico, the second-largest steel producer in the region, also saw a reduction in its crude steel production by 12.1pc to 1.4mn mt in the same period. Argentina’s crude steel output declined by 74.5pc to 107,000mt in April 2020 compared to the same month last year.