Global DRI output down 11.9% in May, Worldsteel says

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World DRI output fell to 5 million tonnes year-on-year in May, as global production slackened.

The biggest DRI producing nation, India, saw its output decrease by 6.2% year-on-year to 1.7 million tonnes.

Total DRI output in the Middle East decreased by 12.9% year-on-year in May to 2 million tonnes, as each country in the region cut production.

Output in Iran, the world’s second-largest producer of DRI, decreased by 18.2% year-on-year to 1.04 million tonnes, and fell in Saudi Arabia by 1.9% year-on-year to 465,000 tonnes.

Production fell in the UAE by 16.9% year-on-year to 266,000 tonnes and by 1.7% in Qatar to 232,000 tonnes.

In the Americas, Mexico showed a year-on-year decrease in volume, with its production falling to 445,000 tonnes from 487,000 tonnes, while in Trinidad & Tobago it fell by 109,000 tonnes from 140,000 tonnes in May 2014.

May DRI output fell by 42% in Argentina, to 91,000 tonnes, and by 4.2% year-on-year in Canada, to 136,000 tonnes.

However, output rose by 18% year-on-year in Venezuela, to 105,000 tonnes.

In the African region, DRI output in May decreased in Egypt by 16.2% year-on-year to 228,000 tonnes, in South Africa by 4.8% to 140,000 tonnes, and in Libya by 55% to 71,000 tonnes compared with May last year.

The data in the report covers the 13 countries that accounted for about 89% of total world DRI production in 2013.