Ukraine''s Ministry of Industrial Policy expects increases in the country''s average daily output of main steel products in September.
According to the forecast of the Ukrainian association of metal producers Metallurgprom, in September this year Ukraine''s average daily pig iron production will increase to 75,500 mt from 64,800 mt in July, the average daily crude steel output will rise to 91,700 mt from 78,100 mt in July, while the average daily rolled steel product output will grow to 85,300 mt from 74,900 mt in July. As a result, in September Ukrainian steelmakers are expected to produce 2.27 million mt of pig iron, 2.75 million mt of crude steel and 2.56 million mt of rolled steel products.
According to the ministry''s data, in January-July this year, Ukraine produced 16 million mt of pig iron - up 11 percent, 18.7 million mt of crude steel - up 13 percent, and 17.5 million mt of rolled steel products - up 14 percent, all compared to the same period last year.
"At the same time, in June the daily output decreased slightly compared with the previous month. Such a trend has been registered since the beginning of summer and is primarily related to the decrease in steel product demand in sales markets," reads the ministry''s statement.