China’s crude steel production dropped by 5.2% to 92.78 million tonnes (mnt) in April 2022 in contrast with 97.85 mnt in the corresponding period last year. However, on a monthly basis, crude steel production inched up by 5.1% against 88.3 mnt in March 2022.
During January-April period, the country’s crude steel output aggregated to 336.15 mnt, registering a y-o-y decrease of 10.3%.
During mid-March 2022, China observed a spike in Covid-19 cases, leading to lockdowns in many cities, and subsequently raising logistical barriers. This, in turn, resulted in a decline in production activities for some time.
However, now, with lifting of lockdown restrictions, Shanghai and other key hubs are gradually returning to normalcy, showing an improvement in output volumes on a monthly basis.
The national average daily crude steel output in April stood at 3.09 mnt, an increase of 8.6% m-o-m.
Pig iron output flat at 77 mnt
China’s pig iron output totalled 76.78 mnt in April, largely stable in contrast to the same period last year. The average daily pig iron output rose by 10.8% to 2.56 mnt in April.
In January-April period, cumulative pig iron output stood at 280.3 mnt, down 9.4% y-o-y.
Finished steel output down 5.8% y-o-y
In April 2022, Chinese mills produced 114.83 mnt of finished steel, down by 5.8% y-o-y. Meanwhile, the average daily steel output rose by 1.5% m-o-m to 3.82 mnt in the month under review.
In January-April period, China’s finished steel production decreased by 5.9% y-o-y to 426.82 mnt.
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