According to the Ukrainian association of metal producers Metallurgprom, in April 2009 Ukraine's daily average output of pig iron decreased by 2,600 mt month on month to 64,300 mt, while for the first four months of 2009 the figure amounted to 65,400 mt compared to 100,500 mt in the same period last year.
Over the first 11 days of May 2009, Ukrainian steelmakers decreased their daily average output of pig iron to 67,700 mt compared to 106,500 mt for the same period last year. The daily pig iron average output of the steelmakers amounted to 50,900 mt in October 2008, to 42,600 mt in November, to 53,700 mt in December, and to 60,200 mt in January 2009. Meanwhile, Ukraine recorded its highest average daily pig iron output in 2009 in the month of February, reaching 70,400 mt.
During the first four months of 2009, Ukraine decreased its pig iron output by 36 percent to 7.845 million mt, its crude steel production by 39 percent to 8.96 million mt, and its finished steel product output by 35 percent to 8.525 million mt, all compared to the same period last year.
According to the Metallurgprom data, as of May 12, 2009, 29 of Ukraine's 43 blast furnaces are operating, as well as 16 of the country's 21 converters, and 14 of its 42 open hearth furnaces.
For June 2009 Metallurgprom forecasts Ukrainian pig iron output of 2.09 million mt, crude steel output of 2.42 million mt, and finished steel product output of 2.27 million mt.