Vietnam is expected to ship around 2.5 million tonnes of steel abroad by the end of 2013, earning more than US$2 billion.
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The Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) reported its members’ 2013 steel output is an estimated 5 million tonnes, while consumption volume exceeded 4.6 million tonnes. Around 300,000 tonnes of steel are currently stockpiled.
The Association attributes low steel purchasing power to the frozen real estate market. The 2.5% increase in export volume came from customers in the US, Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Cambodian markets.
VSA Vice Chairman Nguyen Tien Nghi forecast local steel demand will remain unchanged next year, edging up a negligible 2%–3% from 2013’s figure.
The challenges facing domestic steel producers and exporters require higher levels of competitiveness, better management, new technology application, and market expansion.
