Global pig iron production increased by 1.9% y/y in January-September

Global pig iron production in January-September 2023 increased by 1.9% compared to the same period in 2022 – up to 1.074 billion tons. In September, global pig iron production amounted to 116.2 million tons, which is 0.6% less y/y and 3$ m/m. This is reported by Ukrmetallurgprom with the reference to data from the WorldSteel Association.

World production of pig iron by the blast furnace method in January-September 2023 amounted to 986.67 million tons, and by the DRI method ª 87.74 million tons.

The largest pig iron producing countries in January-September 2023 are:

• China – 675.2 million tons (+2.8% y/y);
• Bharat (India) – 100.24 million tons (+11% y/y);
• Japan – 47.54 million tons (-2.5% y/y).

Ukraine for January-September 2023 produced 4.39 million tons of pig iron, which is 19.5% less compared to the same period in 2022. Thus, the country ranks 16th in the ranking of world producers of pig iron. In September, 486 thousand tons of pig iron were produced (-9% m/m).

In 2022 world production of pig iron decreased by 3% compared to 2021 – to 1.39 billion tons. 1.28 billion tons of pig iron were produced by the blast furnace method, and 110.52 million tons by the direct reduction method.

Among the top three in pig iron production in 2022: China – 863.83 million tons (-0.8% y/y), India – 121.9 million tons (+4.4% y/y) , Japan – 64.1 million tons (-8.8% y/y). In 2022, Ukraine ranked 15th in the ranking of global pig iron producers with an indicator of 6.39 million tons (-69.8% y/y).

As GMK Center reported earlier, global steel production in 2022 decreased by 10.8% compared to 2021 – to 140.7 million tons. In the top three producing countries: China – 1.013 billion tons (-2.1% y/y), India – 124.7 million tons (+5.5% y/y), Japan – 89 .2 million tons (-7.4% y/y). Ukraine took 25th place with a result of 6.3 million tons (-70.7% y/y).