NEW DELHI, Aug 31 Reuters India39;s finished steel imports from China touched a fiveyear high in the first four months of the fiscal year that began in April, according to provisional government data reviewed by Reuters.

During AprilJuly, China was the secondbiggest steel exporter to India, selling 0.6 million metric tons, up 62 from the same period a year earlier.

In all, India imported 2 million metric tons of finished steel in the period, the highest since 2020 and up 23 from a year earlier.

China, the world39;s top steel producer, exported mostly cold rolled coil or sheets to India.

South Korea was the top exporter to India, shipping out 0.7 million metric tons and accounting for 35 of overall steel imports.

India, the world39;s secondbiggest crude steel producer, was however a net exporter of finished steel between April and July, with 2.6 million metric tons sold to buyers including Italy, Spain, Belgium, Nepal and the UAE, the data showed.

India39;s crude steel production stood at 45.8 million metric tons in AprilJuly, up 11.5 from a year earlier.

Consumption of finished steel was 41.2 million metric tons, up 12.2 on the year.

Reporting by Neha Arora; Editing by Mayank Bhardwaj and John Stonestreet

Source Reuters