Ukraine's steelmakers exported 638,300 mt of commercial pig iron during the January-April 2026 period, representing an 11.2% increase year-on-year. For the cumulative January-March quarter, pig iron shipments reached 456,630 mt (up 0.6% YoY) and generated $170.71 million in export revenue, although this marked a 21.2% decline quarter-on-quarter. The United States cemented its status as the absolute primary consumer, importing 422,440 mt (+17.2% YoY) during the first quarter, while traditional European corridors collapsed, with shipments to Italy plunging 59.6% year-on-year to 26,500 mt and Poland falling 47.2% to 5,870 mt. In March alone, shipments fell 13.3% month-on-month and 44% year-on-year to 168,490 mt (with revenue down to $65.48 million), of which 164,400 mt went to the US.

The Brazilian Steelmakers Association (IAB) reported that pig iron exports surged 49% in January 2026 to 408,000 tonnes. In February, average prices rose by $20/t to $430/t FOB. The price hike is attributed to seasonal rainy factors impacting logistics and increased demand from U.S. and European mills.

Since January until July 2025, Ukrainian steel enterprises' pig iron exports increased by 55% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 1.04 million tons. Ukraine exported a total of 831,690 tons of pig iron to the United States, an increase of 84.1% year-on-year; exported 106,540 tons of pig iron to Italy, an increase of 84.8% year-on-year; and exported 25,350 tons of pig iron to Poland, a decrease of 25.7% year-on-year. It is worth noting that the United States became Ukraine's main consumer of pig iron mainly due to the recovery of Ukraine's maritime logistics for steel goods.

Factors affecting the price of pig iron are numerous and complex, supply and demand, raw material costs, policy adjustments and exchange rate fluctuations all play a direct role in the market price. The price of pig iron products such as Fodular Cast Iron and Foundry Pig Iron is also deeply affected by these factors. Through the SMM website and other platforms, we can grasp the dynamics of the pig iron market in real-time, analyze the price trend, and provide strong support for investment decisions. In a volatile market environment, only by considering all factors can we more accurately grasp the direction of pig iron prices.