Iran: Finished steel production rises 11% y-o-y in Mar-Sep'22

Iran's steel production registered a marginal 11% increase in the first half (H1) of the current Persian year (March-September, 2022), according to latest data released by the Iranian Steel Producers Association (ISPA).

The country's steel production volumes continued to remain strong as electricity consumption restrictions were better managed this year as against the corresponding period last year (CPLY).

• Semi-finished steel output stood at 15.39 million tonnes (mnt) in the period under review, up 19% y-o-y. Billets and blooms accounted for 9.36 mnt of the total semis output, up 21%, y-o-y, while slabs production increased by 15% y-o-y to 6.03 mnt.
  
  
• Total production of finished steel stood at 10.32 mnt in the period under review, higher by 11% y-o-y. Production of long steel and flat steel stood at 5.79 mnt (up 9%) and 4.53 mnt (up 14%), respectively.
  
  
• As per ISPA data, direct reduced iron (DRI) production stood at 17.69 mnt in the first six months of the Iranian year, an increase of 20% compared to the same period last year.
  
  

Outlook

Iran's steel production volumes are expected to be on the higher side after the Ministry of Energy gave approval for easing power restrictions in the country. However, ongoing social unrest there could impact production volumes, sources informed.