Asian steel production rose 2.6 percent in May

Asian steel production rose 2.6 percent year-on-year in May, according to the latest data released by the World Steel Association.

China's total crude steel production in May was 70.432 million tonnes, up 2.6 percent from 68.675 million tonnes in May 2013.
India produced 7.080 million tonnes of steel, up 1.6 percent from the 6.966 million tonnes achieved during May 2013.

Japan reported a fall in average monthly crude steel production during May. Steel production in Japan fell 0.3 percent from 9.625 million tonnes in May 2013 to 9.595 million tonnes in the same month of this year.

South Korea's crude steel production increased significantly in May this year, up 11.4 percent to 6.164 million tonnes, up from 5.534 million tonnes in May 2013. Taiwan's steel production in May fell 3.9 percent to 1.875 million tons, compared with 1.952 million tons in the same month last year.

During the first five months of 2014, compared to the same period in 2013, the following were produced: in China 342.519 million tons (+ 2.7 percent); India 34.680 million tons (+1.9 percent); in Japan 46.108 million tons (+1.5 percent); in South Korea 30.032 million tons (+8.7 percent); in Taiwan 9.111 million tons (-2.8 percent).