SÃO PAULO — Latin America exported 7.46 million tonnes of finished steel in the first 11 months of last year, well below imports of 18.46 million tonnes, according to regional steel association Alacero.

The association didn’t provide shipment figures for the same period in 2011, although its January 2012 report put 11-month 2011 exports at 8.43 million tonnes and imports at 16.5 million tonnes—meaning 2012 exports fell 11.5 percent while imports were 11.9 percent higher.

Finished steel exports in the first 11 months of last year were led by Latin America’s three major steel markets: Mexico (2.92 million tonnes), Brazil (2.62 million tonnes) and Argentina (925,400 tonnes).

Meanwhile, Mexico and Brazil reported the largest finished steel imports at 6.97 million tonnes and 3.16 million tonnes, respectively.

Colombia imported 1.72 million tonnes of finished steel, while Chilean imports totaled 1.46 million tonnes and Peru imported 1.44 million tonnes.

A version of this article was first published by AMM sister publication Steel First.