According to a recent press release from the Latin American Steel Association, Alacero, the total exports of steel from China to the world -including finished and steel-derivatives products – were 17.4 million tons during January-February 2016, 1 percent less than January-February 2015. Of this volume, 16.4 million were finished steel, which includes stainless steels, and 1 million ton of steel-derivatives products. Latin America accounted for 6.9 percent of those exports from China, reducing its participation in 3.7 percentage points versus January-February 2015 (10.6 percent).
Finished steel imports from China by destination:
The main destinations for Chinese steel (finished + steel-derivatives) in Latin American during January-February 2016 were Central America which received 251 thousand tons (21 percent of the region); Chile, which accumulated 191 thousand tons (16 percent); and Peru, with 151 thousand tons (13 percent).
In January-February 2016, only 4 countries increased their imports of Chinese steel versus January-February 2015: Cuba (up 187 percent), Costa Rica (up 40 percent), Paraguay (up 19 percent) and Colombia (up 12 percent). Cuba, Costa Rica and Paraguay, however, still hold a small participation of 2 percent, 5 percent and 1 percent, respectively, of the Latin American steel imports of Chinese steel.