China produced 202.7 million tonnes of crude steel, 179.7 million tonnes of pig iron and 261.41 million tonnes of steel products in the first three months of the current year up 2.4%, 0.1% and 5.3% respectively from the same period of 2013, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

In March, production of crude steel was 70.25 million tonnes up 2.2% YoY that of pig iron was 61.55 million tonnes, a decrease of 0.9% that of steel products was 95.07 million tonnes, an increment of 5%. Daily crude steel production in March was 2.266 million tonnes up 2.2% from February; that of steel products hit 3.067 million tonnes, up 9.2% MoM.

China's coke production amounted to 114.33 million tonnes in the first three months of this year down 0.4% YoY. In March, China produced 38.32 million tonnes of coke, down 5.3% from the same month last year.

Combined with imports and exports, apparent consumption of crude steel came to 187.09 million tonnes in the first three months up 0.4% compared to the same period a year earlier; that of steel products aggregated 246.67 million tonnes up 4.0% YoY. The apparent consumption of crude steel in March alone hit 64.42 million tonnes down 0.1% YoY; that of steel products was 89.56 million tonnes up 3.5% YoY.