Global crude steel output declines in March, with regional divergence

Global crude steel production fell in March 2026, reflecting ongoing pressure on the sector, although developments varied significantly across regions.

According to the World Steel Association (worldsteel), total output across 69 reporting countries reached 159.9 million tonnes, down 4.2% compared with March 2025. These countries account for around 98% of global production.

Mixed regional performance

Production trends differed widely by region. Asia and Oceania, the largest producing region, recorded a 3.9% decline to 119.3 million tonnes. The EU-27 also saw output fall by 4.6% to 11.4 million tonnes.

The sharpest drop was reported in the Middle East, where production declined by 33.5% year-on-year to 3.5 million tonnes, reflecting the impact of geopolitical disruptions.

By contrast, Africa (+11.6%), North America (+3.5%) and other European countries outside the EU (+4.9%) posted growth. Output in Russia, other CIS countries and Ukraine fell by 7.9%, while South America recorded a marginal decline of 0.5%.

In the first quarter as a whole, global production totalled 459.2 million tonnes, down 2.3% year-on-year.

Top producers: China declines, India expands

Among the largest steel-producing countries, China remained dominant with 87.0 million tonnes in March, although output dropped by 6.3% year-on-year.

India continued its growth trajectory, increasing production by 9.4% to 15.3 million tonnes. The United States also expanded output by 5.2% to 7.2 million tonnes.

Japan (-4.1%) and Russia (-11.4%) recorded notable declines, while South Korea (+1.5%) and Türkiye (+6.4%) posted moderate increases. Germany’s output rose by 7.5% to 3.3 million tonnes.

Brazil (-2.5%) saw a slight decline, while Viet Nam continued to expand production, up 5.7%.

Source and Graphic: Worldsteel