Global crude steel production declined by 6.1 per in January compared with the output in January 2021 and it was also lower by 2.4 per cent compared with December 2021.

According to World Steel Association (worldsteel) data, global steel production is estimated at 155 million tonnes (mt) compared with 162.9 mt in January last year and 158.7 in December 2021. 

China yet again dragged output as its production dropped 11.1 per cent compared with the year-ago period. It was also lower than the month-ago period. As per the association data, the Communist nation is projected to have produced 81.7 mt against 90.2 mt in the year-ago period and 86.2 mt in the month-ago period.

Chinese steel production dropped for the seventh consecutive month in January and the concern is that the output decline was higher than in December when it looked to be recovering. In 2021, China produced 1,032.8 mt of crude steel, three per cent lower than the 2020 output. 

India continues to be positive

Steel production in India continued to be on the positive side with the output rising by 4.7 per cent to 10.8 mt. It was also higher month-on-month. In January 2021, the production was 10 mt and in December, it was 10.4 mt. 

Last year, India’s steel production was 118.1 mt, up 17.8 per cent over 2020. It also emerged as the second-largest global steel producer.

Among other nations, the output in Japan, the third-largest producer in 2021, dropped 2.1 per cent year-on-year to 7.8 mt in January, while the production in the US, the fourth-largest steelmaker last year, was up 4.2 per cent at 7.4 mt.

Other factors

Russia’s production is estimated to have increased by 3.3 per cent year-on-year to 6.6 mt, while South Korea produced six mt, down one per cent compared with January 2021.

Germany’s production (3.3 mt) was down in January by 1.4 per cent, mainly due to the impact of the Covid pandemic, while production of Turkey (3.2 mt) and Brazil (2.9 mt) was also lower by 7.8 per cent and 4.8 per cent, respectively. 

The World Steel Association is based on the data collected from 64 countries that make up 85 per cent of total global output.