India's steel consumption up 5.2 per cent in April-June

Consumption of finished steel in the country went up by 5.2 per cent from 12.2 million tonnes during the first quarter of the financial year '09 to 12.83 million tonnes during April-June this year.

Production of finished steel went up by 3.4 per cent to 13.98 million tonnes during April-June 09 as compared to 13.53 million tonnes during the same period last year.

Steel exports declined from 1.032 million tonnes in the first quarter to 0.642 million tonnes in the second quarter, recording a fall of 37.8 per cent from the first quarter.

During April-June 2009, exports declined while imports also fell 5.3 per cent from 1.493 million tonnes to 1.414 million tonnes.

Production of saleable steel of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) went up by 3.73 per cent to 30.6 lakh tonnes up to June 09, compared to 29.5 lakh tonnes during April-June 08. Finished steel production at RINL went up by 2.09 per cent, from 6.71 lakh tonnes to 6.85 lakh tonnes. In June 09, production of saleable steel by SAIL rose 7.22 per cent - to 10.4 lakh tonnes from 9.7 lakh tonnes - and that of RINL by 21.72 per cent - to 2.41 lakh tonnes from 1.98 lakh tonnes.

During the period up to June 09, SAIL's volume sales rose 5.58 per cent (28.4 lakh tonnes against 26.9 lakh tonnes) but declined in the case of RINL by 4.33 per cent (5.74 lakh tonnes against 6 lakh tonnes.