Billet exports from Russia declined by 5pc in January-May to 6.09mn mt from 6.40mn mt in the same period last year, Russian Customs reported.
In May, billet exports fell by 27pc to 1.07mn mt from 1.47mn mt in the same month of 2020 and were down 32pc from 1.58mn mt exported in April.
Taiwan remained the biggest importer of Russian billet this May despite a 6pc drop in shipments to 311,516mt annually from 331,545mt. However, the country’s monthly imports of the product increased by 37pc from 227,283mt in April.
Turkey replaced Belgium as the second-largest billet importer from Russia, with shipments to the destination more than doubling to 240,432mt in May from 95,708mt in the same month last year. Belgium imported 78,125mt of the product in May down 43pc from 136,907mt in May 2020, making the European country the third-largest destination for Russian billet.