REUTERS
Ukrainian steelmakers cut steel output by 4.5% in March 2017 year-over-year (y-o-y), to 2.105 million tonnes, while retaining the 11th place in the international steelmakers rating drawn up by the World Steel Association (WSA).
As reported, Ukraine reduced steel production by 0.1% in January-March 2017 y-o-y, to 6.1 million tonnes, having kept the 11th position in the WSA rating.
In March 2017, China traditionally retained its top spot in WSA's steelmakers rating with the output of 72 million tonnes (1.8% up from March 2016).
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine boosted steel output by 5.5% in 2016 against 2015, to 24.2 million tonnes, having kept the tenth place in the international steelmakers rating.
UNIAN memo. Ukraine ranked seventh in the WSA rating 2013 in terms of steel output, having produced 30.4 million tonnes. In 2014, the country slid to the tenth place with a steel output of 27.2 million tonnes. Since 2014, two factors have affected domestic steelmakers' activities: hostilities in Donbas, where more than half of steel production facilities are located, and a decline in world prices of raw materials for metallurgy and finished products. They reduced steelmakers' revenue and toughened competition on world markets, which was most evident in 2015. However, Ukraine managed to keep its tenth position in the industry rating in 2015.