Per capita steel consumption in India rose 25% in 5 yrs

NEW DELHI: The country's per capita consumption of steel has risen by nearly 25% during the past five years to 57 kg during 2011 as compared to 45.8 kg during 2007.

World Steel Association (WSA) data states that except for 2008, when India's steel consumption slipped to 45.1 kg as compared to a year-ago, the rise in consumption has been steady every year. The per capita consumption of steel in the country stood at 50 kg during 2009 and 55.4 kg in 2010.

India is still behind the world average of 214.7 kg and China's average of 459.8 kg. The average is also worst when it is compared to other Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea at 506.7 kg and 1,156.6 kg, respectively.

The Asian average stood stood at 238.8 in 2011. In the EU, it was 310 kg and in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), it was at 212.3 kg. Per capita steel consumption stood at 263 kg in Nafta and 233.9 kg in the Middle East.

In 2011, India's net steel consumption stood at 67.8 million tonnes, rise from 64.9 million tonnes a year ago.