Brazil’s long steel imports up 36% in 2012

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Import volumes rose to 940,952 tonnes last year from 689,666 tonnes in 2011, the figures showed.

Turkey was by far the largest supplier of the Brazilian imports, at 314,187 tonnes, up from 259,787 tonnes.

It was followed by Argentina, with 139,107 tonnes, compared with 59,655 tonnes in 2011.

China (84,880 tonnes), Portugal (75,122 tonnes) and South Korea (70,242 tonnes) completed the list of Brazil’s principal suppliers.

In terms of products, wire rod represented the largest volume, at 303,561 tonnes.

In 2011, wire rod imports totalled 259,415 tonnes.

Rebar imports more than doubled in 2012, to 237,204 tonnes from 115,833 tonnes.

Imports of sections also more than doubled, to 171,820 tonnes from 82,433 tonnes.