In 2017 MMK expects steel consumption in Russia to grow by 3.5% YoY, to 41 million tons.
High-value added products consumption could grow by 1.8%, to 8.3 million tons, while imports will decrease by 1%, to 3.3 million tons.
The drop in imports has to do with the imposition of duties at the request of Russian metal companies.
At the same time MMK believes main industries will increase demand of metal products, in particular, construction sphere by 3.5%.
Steel consumption in the past 10 years has been stable, with a temporarily decrease in 2015-2016 compensated by the import drop. In 2015 Russia consumed 42 million tons of steel, and in 2016 – some 40 million tons. (Ukrainian metal)