CIS

Crude Steel Production ; Trade in Steel

Due to a combination of plentiful raw material supplies and political history the CIS region produces far more steel than is needed to meet demand for steel within the region. It is the largest net exporting region in the world and even in 2009 CIS countries exported 49 million tonnes of steel mill products (semis, long & flat products, tubes) to countries outside the region, while importing less than 3 million tonnes. ISSB holds trade data at 6 digit HS tariff level for the dominant steel nations of the CIS region: Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, whom together produce 99% of the regions steel. Additionally with export coverage of 97% steel production globally ISSB is ideally placed to assess the market for steel in those CIS countries for which national trade data is not available.

Crude Steel Production

The CIS is the cheapest region in the world in which to produce steel, predominantly due to the plentitude of steelmaking raw material and energy supplies.  Crude steel production reached a recent peak in 2007 but has fallen back since with the largest falls coming in the Ukraine.
Below we summarise World Steel Association crude steel production data for the CIS region.

Trade in Steel

Russia recorded an export fall in steel mill products of only 3% in 2009, despite the global recession. This made it the world’s third largest steel exporter after Japan and the EU27 (exports to Non-EU markets), and ahead of the Ukraine.  While exports of semis fell 17%, Russia increased exports of long products product by 13%, of flat products by 19% and of tubes by 12%. 

Ukrainian exports of steel mill products fell 16% in 2009 dropping it from third largest steel exporter in 2008 to fourth largest exporter in 2009. Dominant semis exports of fell just 10%, but exports of long products, flat products and tubes fell by 13%, 27% and 24% respectively. 

Latest available data shows both Russia and the Ukraine maintaining their status as large net exporters of steel although the Ukraine’s exports in Quarter 1 2010 were up just 3% on the same period last year while Russia’s exports were up by 28%.

While total steel exports by the CIS nations fell only 9% in 2009 there was great regionally variation with export increases of 60% to Asia and of 17% to the Middle East largely offsetting sharp falls to other regional markets.

If you want to know more about the exports and imports of the CIS nations, either of steel or of iron ore and scrap, please contact or use our NEW on-line Trade Enquiry System.