Indonesia: Billets exports jump three-fold in Jan-Sept'21

Indonesia recorded a huge 221% y-o-y surge in its billets exports volumes in the first nine months of CY'21 (Jan-Sept'21). The volumes stood at 2.25 million tonnes (mn t) in Jan-Sept'21 as against 0.70 mn t in Jan-Sep'20, as per customs data compiled by SteelMint.

China leading importer

China continued to be the absolute leader in importing steel billets from Indonesia at 1.29 mn t during Jan-Sept'21. The country retained its top importer's position with a massive 87% y-o-y increase as compared to 0.69 mn t in the corresponding period last year (CPLY).

Chinese mills were seen active in booking billets over imported scrap. China's recycled steel raw materials, or ferrous scrap import volumes, in Sept'21 dropped by around 50% on a m-o-m basis. The world's leading steel producer imported 20,519 tonnes (t) of ferrous scrap in Sept'21 as compared to 40,540 t in the previous month, as per customs data maintained with SteelMint.

Taiwan jumped to the second position in the top importers' list with 0.24 mn t followed by South Korea with 0.20 mn t in the period under review. Steel billets exports from Indonesia to Taiwan rose manifold as against the same period last year.

Indonesia's billets exports stable in Sept'21

Exports of the material from Indonesia remained largely stable m-o-m at 0.24 mn t in Sept'21.

Exports to China have fallen to 0.16 mn t in Sept'21 from 0.18 mn t in Aug'21. Other major importers of steel billets from Indonesia this month were South Korea and Taiwan with 0.05 and 0.02 mn t, respectively.