In January-May 2009, Ukrainian steel producers and traders reduced their steel product exports by 26.8 percent year on year to 9.289 million mt, the assistant director of Derzhzovnishinform (the metallurgical analytical department of the Ukrainian national research and information center for monitoring international commodity markets) Vyacheslav Popov has stated at the 8th Conference Forum "Metal-2009: management, production, trade, and consumption."
Regardless of the decrease registered in all steel product exports, in January-May 2009 Ukraine saw an increase by 2.2 times in its exports of round billets to 113,000 mt, due to more competitive price offers during the crisis period, Mr. Popov said. In general, during the first five months of 2009, Ukraine's semi-finished product exports decreased by 11.7 percent to 5.113 million, including 3.610 million mt of square billets - down 4.6 percent, and 1.390 million mt of slabs - down 29.5 percent, all compared to the same period of last year, added Mr. Popov.
In addition, Mr. Popov stated that in January-May 2009 Ukraine increased by a total of 2.022 million mt year on year its deliveries to such countries as China (up 876,000 mt), Lebanon (up 585,000 mt), Iraq (up 256,000 mt), Egypt (up 162,000 mt), and India (up 143,000 mt). However, during the period in question, the country reduced by a total of 2.350 million its steel product deliveries to Turkey (down 641,000 mt), Italy (down 491,000 mt), Russia (down 470,000 mt), US (down 451,000 mt), and UAE (down 297,000 mt).
According to Mr. Popov, in May 2009 Ukraine registered a 2.9 percent decrease month on month in its average price of exported steel products, from $358/mt in April to $348/mt in May.