SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Latin American crude steel production registered a decline of 5.6% during the month of April this year. The monthly output totaled 5.2 million tonnes (Mt) in April this year, as compared with the production of 5.5 Mt in April 2018. The cumulative production during the initial four-month period of the year totaled around 21 Mt, 5% lower when compared with the production of 21.9 Mt during Jan-Apr ’18. Brazil emerged as the largest producer in the region, accounting for 24% of the total regional output.

The region’s rolled steel production totaled 4.2 Mt in April ’19, falling sharply by 11% when matched with the production of 4.7 Mt in April 2018. The cumulative production in Jan-Apr ’19 at 16.7 Mt represented a decline of 9% from 18.3 Mt produced during the first four months of the previous year. The main producers in the region were Brazil and Mexico, whose production totaled 7.5 Mt and 5.9 Mt respectively.

The regional imports increased by 4% during Jan-Mar ’19, compared to Jan-Mar ’18. Rolled steel imports in March this year totaled 2.1 Mt, 9% more than the imports of 1.9 Mt in March 2018. The rolled imports during the period from Jan-Mar ’19 by the Latin American region increased from 5.6 Mt to 5.9 Mt over the year. Out of this, 70% accounted for flat products, 27% accounted for long products and the remaining 3% corresponded to seamless pipes.

Meantime, the rolled products exports have declined by 4% in March this year to total 716,000 tons. The exports during the initial quarter of the year too were down by 4%.