Handan city in northern China's Hebei province declared a second-level emergency aimed at curbing environmental pollution, prompting industrial enterprises, including steel mills, to adjust their production schedules.
Starting from March 14, Hebei province is forecasted to face heightened pollution due to persistent weak southerly winds, elevated humidity, and unfavorable conditions for pollutant dispersion.
Industrial firms are expected to implement production adjustments in a responsible manner.
Under the regulations of the second-level emergency, only steel mills meeting minimum emission standards, classified under Group A – which comprised eight steel plants in the city in 2023 – will be permitted to operate without restrictions. Others will be required to decrease production by 30-50%.
The exact duration of the emergency measures is yet to be determined, according to information available to Sxcoal .
Meanwhile, steel mills in China's Yunnan province, situated in the southwest of the country, have initiated production cuts to mitigate losses. The decision follows a weaker-than-anticipated rebound in market demand post the Chinese New Year holidays, coupled with elevated raw material cost.
China's steelmakers produced 1.019 billion tonnes of crude steel in 2023, a marginal 0.6% year-on-year increase, official data showed. Pig iron production in 2023 stood at 871 million tonnes, growing 0.7% year on year.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Harry Huo)
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