The average import price of iron and steel in the first four months of this year was $ 707 per ton, up by 23.7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

In April only, the country imported 1.16 million tons of iron and steel worth of $ 844.28 million, up by 11.3 per cent in quantity and 13.3 per cent in value compared with the previous month. The figure was down by 19 per cent in quantity and 2.6 per cent in value. The average export price of iron and steel in April reached $ 725.2 per ton, up by 1.8 per cent month – on – month and by 20.4 per cent year – on – year.

China was the country’s biggest import market of iron and steel in the first four months of this year with 1.82 million tons worth of $ 1.32 billion, accounted for 42.6 per cent of the total quantity and 43.7 per cent of the total value. The figure was down by 33.9 per cent in quantity and 13.5 per cent in value year – on – year.

The imports of iron and steel from Japan reached 708,503 tons worth of $ 486.35 million, down by 7.7 per cent in quantity but up by 6.8 per cent in value compared with the same period last year.

The South Korean market accounted for 13.9 per cent of the total quantity and 15.6 per cent of the total value with 594,605 tons worth of $ 473.68 million, up by 8.2 per cent in quantity and 21.6 per cent in value.

In the first four months, the country’s imports of iron and steel from Demark rocketed by 25 times in quantity and 5 times in value to 541 tons worth of $ 372,243. And the imports from Hong Kong increased sharply by 491.8 per cent in quantity and 405.8 per cent in value to 1,799 tons worth of $ 1.54 million; from Australia – up by 141 per cent in quantity and 154 per cent in value to 15,359 tons worth of $ 7.78 million; from Brazil – up by 129 per cent in quantity and 156.6 per cent in value to 114,224 tons worth of $ 63.23 million.

However, the imports of iron and steel from India, Canada, Turkey, Britain, Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand decreased by 52 -64 per cent.