In February, raw steel production in Argentina fell by 22.5% compared to January and by 14% compared to the same month last year, according to the sector's chamber. The steel industry showed a significant drop in February compared to January, with also year-on-year declines in some areas, according to the Argentine News Agency. Specifically, raw steel production was 272,200 tons, implying a decrease of 22.5% from January. Meanwhile, flat and non-flat rolled products production reached 148,500 tons, equivalent to a 46.3% drop from January and an 8.3% decrease from the same month last year. The entity highlights that Argentina 'continues to advance in a macroeconomic stabilization process', a necessary condition to achieve a sustained growth in activity. However, it warns that domestic demand remains weak and that the growing pressure from imports—in a tax environment that encourages local value-added aggregation—along with unfair competition from China, have a significant impact on the industry. In this scenario, the steel sector continues to operate at activity levels that remain below its historical potential, a situation that conditions the recovery and production dynamics in the short term.
