World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 147.1 million tonnes (Mt) in March 2020, a 6.0% decrease compared to March 2019. Due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of this month’s figures are estimates from national and regional associations, which may be revised with next month’s production update.

 

World crude steel production was 443.0 Mt in the first three months of 2020, down by 1.4% compared to the same period in 2019. Asia produced 315.2 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, a decrease of 0.3% over the first quarter of 2019. The EU produced 38.3 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, down by 10.0% compared to the same quarter of 2019. North America’s crude steel production in the first three months of 2020 was 29.5 Mt, a decrease of 4.0% compared to the first quarter of 2019.

 

China’s produced 79.0 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, a decrease of 1.7% compared to March 2019. India estimates 8.7 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 13.9% on March 2019. Japan estimates 8.2 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 9.7% on March 2019. South Korea produced 5.8 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, down 7.9% on March 2019.

 

In the EU, Germany estimates 2.9 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 20.9% on March 2019. Italy produced 1.4 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, down by 40.2% on March 2019. France estimates 1.2 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, a 13.2% decrease compared to March 2019. Spain produced 1.2 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, down 14.6% on March 2019.

 

The US produced 7.2 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, a decrease of 6.0% compared to March 2019.

 

Russia estimates 5.9 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 4.4% on March 2019. Ukraine produced 1.8 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, down 10.3% on March 2019.

 

Brazil produced 2.6 Mt of crude steel production for March 2020, down by 8.2% on March 2019.

 

Turkey’s crude steel production for March 2020 was 3.1 Mt, up by 4.1% on March 2019. (worldsteel)