According to the latest data released by the World Steel Association, crude steel production in the Middle East witnessed a 1.1pct growth during the first four months of 2023, reaching a total of 18.7 mln tons compared to the same period last year. In May, the region experienced a significant increase of 4.3pct YoY, with a total output of 4.4 mln tons.
The steel production statistics for the Middle East region encompass countries such as Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Meanwhile, Africa’s steel production, which includes countries like Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and South Africa, displayed robust growth of 18.6pct YoY from January to May 2023, resulting in a total output of 6.3 mln tons. The positive trend continued in May, with an 18.6pct YoY increase and an output of 1.3 mln tons.
Turkey, ranked as the ninth largest steel-producing country during January to May 2023, faced a significant decline in crude steel output of 19.1 pct compared to the previous year, amounting to 13 mln tons. In May, Turkish steel output dropped by 10.4 pct on-year, reaching 2.9 mln tons.
Iran secured the tenth position among the largest steel-producing countries during the given period. The country experienced a growth of 2.2 pct in steel production, totaling 13 mln tons in the first five months of 2023. In May, Iranian steel output increased by nearly 9 pct YoY, reaching 3.3 mln tons.
Globally, crude steel production witnessed a slight decrease of 1.2 pct YoY from January to May 2023, totaling 786 mln tons. However, Chinese steel output showed growth with a 1.6 pct increase compared to the previous year, reaching 444.6 mln tons. Similarly, Indian steel production rose by 5.7 pct YoY, reaching 56.4 mln tons.
In May 2023, global crude steel production decreased by 5.1 pct YoY, resulting in a total output of 161.6 mln tons.
