NEW DELHI, March 9 (Reuters) - India exported 52% less
finished steel from April to February than it did a year
earlier, as slowing global demand hit shipments, according to
government data seen by Reuters on Thursday.
The export volume was lower, at 5.9 million tonnes, despite
the government's withdrawal of an export tax in November.
India, the world's second-biggest producer of crude steel,
also imports the alloy. In the April-February period it was a
net exporter.
Major steelmakers reported a drop in profits in the December
quarter, in part because the government in May imposed the tax,
which applied to exports of some intermediate steel products,
such as bars.
Most steel companies, including JSW Steel Ltd ,
India's biggest steelmaker by capacity, have projected a pick-up
in exports in the current quarter.
Between April and February, India produced 109.35 million
tonnes of finished steel, 6.2% more than a year before, the data
showed. Consumption rose by 11.6% to 107.2 million tonnes.
India imported 5.6 million tonnes of finished steel during
the period, up 29.5% from a year earlier. Crude steel production
was up 3.9%, at 113.44 million tonnes.
(Reporting by Neha Arora; Editing by Bradley Perrett)
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