World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 147.1 million tonnes (Mt) in March 2020, a 6.0% decrease compared to March 2019.

  Due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of this month’s figures are estimates from national and regional associations, which may be revised with next month’s production update.

China’s produced 79.0 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, a decrease of 1.7% compared to March 2019. India estimates 8.7 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 13.9% on March 2019. Japan estimates 8.2 Mt of crude steel production in March 2020, down 9.7% on March 2019. South Korea produced 5.8 Mt of crude steel in March 2020, down 7.9% on March 2019.

World crude steel production was 443.0 Mt in the first three months of 2020, down by 1.4% compared to the same period in 2019. Asia produced 315.2 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, a decrease of 0.3% over the first quarter of 2019. The EU produced 38.3 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2020, down by 10.0% compared to the same quarter of 2019. North America’s crude steel production in the first three months of 2020 was 29.5 Mt, a decrease of 4.0% compared to the first quarter of 2019.

  Crude steel production of Arab countries

  Egypt’s crude steel production in March 682,000 tons, down 3.5% compared to March 2019.  Saudi Arabia  produced 675,000 tons of crude steel in March 2020, up 5.8% compared to March 2019. UAE  produced 264,000 tons of crude steel up 25.0% compared to March 2019. Qatar  produced 163,000 tons of crude steel down 30.5% compared to March 2019. Libya  produced 23,000 tons of crude steel, down 48.8%