Rebar imports to Mexico hit record high

The latest statistics released by the Mexican Secretariat for Economic Affairs show that rebar exports from that country experienced a steep decline amid record imports during the month of March, which surpassed the annual level reached in 2014.

Exports of rebar products to Mexico totaled 26,943 tons in March 2015, down 64.7 percent from 76,396 tons in March last year. Export value fell even more significantly from $ 50.57 million FOB in March 2014 to $ 16.68 million FOB in March this year. The sharp decline in exports was mainly due to a huge drop in shipments to major importing countries, including the United States, Bolivia and Colombia.

Mexican rebar exports to the United States fell to 599 tons in March this year, from 19,975 tons in the same month last year. Exports to Colombia also dropped significantly from 28,322 tonnes in March 2014 to 12,075 tonnes in the same month of 2015. Bolivia did not import rebar from Mexico at all in March this year. At the same time, the country imported 13,335 tons of rebar in March 2014. Meanwhile, during March of this year, 2,289 tons of rebar imports were delivered to Haiti, which did not import rebar in March last year.

In contrast, imports of rebar to Mexico increased significantly in March 2015. Imports for the month amounted to 8,537 million tonnes, surpassing 6,019 tonnes imported for the full year 2014. China was the main supplier of rebar to Mexico. Rebar imports from China amounted to 4820 million tons during the month. Rebar imports from the United States amounted to 3,715 million tonnes. The import value in March alone reached $ 4.52 million CIF.

The rebound in rebar imports in March 2015 was driven by an increase in Mexican demand for steel products for the construction sector. Armature is the most demanded product in the construction of buildings and structures. Now the country is planning and is already under construction of infrastructure projects and housing complexes.