Khouzestan Steel Company has topped the list of Iran’s steel exporters during the current fiscal year’s first six months (March 21-Sept. 22).
According to the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization, KSC exported 692,331 tons of steel products during the period to register a 23% year-on-year decline.
The company’s exports during the month ending Sept. 22 hit 255,514 tons, registering a 481% rise.
KSC was followed by Esfahan Steel Company with 565,764 tons of exports during six months, registering a 7% drop in shipments.
ESCO 's monthly exports stood at 93,862 tons, 2% higher than in the corresponding period of last year.
Esfahan Steel Company is the first and largest manufacturer of construction steel products in Iran, according to its website.
Mobarakeh Steel Company came next with 207,695 tons of exports during the six months, down 67%.
MSC exported 7,184 tons of steel products during the month under review, down 92%.
Oxin Steel Company registered the highest growth of 221% in export volume with 43,072 tons during the six-month period.
KSC’s monthly exports registered the highest growth with 255,514 tons, up 481%.
Decline in Exports
According to the Iranian Steel Producers Association, a total of 2.93 million tons of semi-finished steel products were exported from Iran during the period under review, down 16% year-on-year.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 2.19 million tons, down 6% YOY.
Slab exports amounted to 744,000 tons during the period, down 36%.
Exports of finished steel products declined by 12% to 1.42 million tons during the period.
Rebar accounted for the largest portion of finished steel products exported from Iran during the period, with 1.13 million tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced a 1% decline compared with the same period of last year.
Beam exports amounted to 56,000 tons during the period under review, down 18%.
About 66,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, down 28%.
Hot-rolled coil exports amounted to 112,000 tons, registering a 53% decline.
The export of cold-rolled coil with 11,000 tons registered a 10% rise and coated coil with 41,000 tons, down 32%, was the other finished steel product exported from Iran.
Iran exported 312,000 tons of direct-reduced iron, down 54%.
Steel Exports to 56 Countries
Iran exported steel to 56 countries during March 21-Sept. 22, says an official with state-owned mining holding company, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization.
Amir Sabagh added that Iraq accounted for about one-fifth of the total shipments’ volume.
“Indonesia with 15.3%, China with 15.1%, Thailand with 9.4%, Oman with 8.1%, the UAE with 7.8%, Turkey with 4.6% and Ghana with 2.9% were other major steel export destinations during the period,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Sabbagh noted that steel exports had an uptrend in the second consecutive month to reach 767,000 tons in the sixth month of the current Iranian year (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — the highest volume of steel exports in the past two years.
“Nonetheless, the global steel market prices are under pressure of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the drop in China's demand. It is possible that the government will reestablish steel export tax exemptions, which have been limited in the Budget Law of 1401 [fiscal 2022-23], in the form of resolutions or a special bill,” he added.
Iran’s mining industry exported a total of 21.15 million tons of products worth $5.62 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year (March 21-Sept. 22) to register an 8% decrease in tonnage and a 6% decline in value year-on-year, a new report by the IMIDRO shows.
Steel manufacturing chain products (iron ore, semi-finished and finished steel) topped the list of exports in terms of value with an aggregate of $2.58 billion, accounting for 45.9% of total exports in this field.
