Sao Paulo (Platts)--20Dec2012/421 pm EST/2121 GMT

Latin American rolled steel consumption in the first 10 months of 2012 was about 5% above that of the same period last year, regional steel association Alacero said Thursday.

In the January through October period, Latin America and the Caribbean consumed 54.9 million mt of rolled steel, up from 52.2 million mt in the same period of 2011.

Alacero said the growth was fueled primarily by Chile's 23% consumption increase. Mexico and Peru also each contributed 15% growth.

For October, overall rolled consumption rose 5% year on year to 5.5 million mt. It also was up 5.7% from September's 5.2 million mt.

Year-to-date through October, Latin America imported 10.1 million mt more of rolled steel than it exported. In 2011, the balance was 7 million mt, 44% lower. According to Alacero, all Latin American countries excluding Argentina and the Dominican Republic showed an import/export deficit.

The association also said rolled steel production in 2012 through November reached reached 52.5 million mt. Brazil accounted for l24.2 million mt, or 46% of the total and Mexico was next highest with 15 million mt, or 29% of the total, Alacero said. In November, overall production was 4.9 million mt, 10% more than in the same month last year.

Latin American crude steel output in the first 11 months of 2012 was 9% below that of the same period in 2011, coming in a 61.3 million mt. Latin America produced 5.7 million mt of crude steel in November, 9% higher than in the same month last year, Alacero said.

--Guilherme Baida, guilherme_baida@platts.com --Edited by Jeff Barber, jeff_barber@platts.com