Latin America sees rise in crude steel output
Latin America's overall crude steel
production rose 2.5% year-on-year to 5.2 million tons in January 2005. However, January
production was 3.7% lower than December 2004.
Despite a 3.2% decline in
Brazil's crude steel
production, the country remains Latin America's leading crude steel producer with 2.6 million tons.
Mexico's crude steel
production amounted to 1.5 million tons in January, up 8% year-on-year.
Crude steel
production in
Argentina rose 9.3% year-on-year to 419'000 tons, while
production in
Venezuela grew 4.3% to 380'000 tons.
Crude steel
production in
Chile,
Peru and
Colombia rose 8.2%, 19% and 21.4% to 138'000 tons, 69'000 tons and 68'000 tons respectively.
Guatemala's crude steel
production rose 43.5% to 22'000 tons in January. Crude steel
production rose 133% in
Cuba to 21'000 tons, but fell 22.8% in
Paraguay to 10'000 tons.
Production climbed 33.9% in
Ecuador to 8'000 tons, and rose 21.4% in
Uruguay to 5'000 tons.
El Salvador experienced a 3.8% decline to 5'000 tons.