Global production fell slightly to 129.3 million lb, down 2% from 132 million lb in the previous quarter.
China remained the biggest user, with 49.2 million lb in the second quarter of 2013, an increase of 5% from 46.8 million lb in the previous quarter. Europe was the second largest user with 33.9 million lb, down 4% from 35.4 million lb in the previous quarter but an increase of 4% compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
Use in the USA increased by 6% to 14.5 million lb compared with 13.7 million lb in the previous quarter. Use in Japan fell fractionally to 14.6 million lb compared to 14.7 million lb in the previous quarter.
In the CIS countries, use remained static at 5.7 million lb, whilst in other countries it increased slightly from 16.0 to 16.2 million lb.
Increase in global use
China was once again the biggest producer although production in the third quarter of 2013 dipped 4% to 46.1 million lb compared to 48.2 million lb in the previous quarter. North American production fell by a similar proportion from 46.5 to 44.6 million lb. South American production increased from 27.7 million lb in the second quarter to 29.0 million lb in the third quarter, whilst production in other countries remained unchanged at 9.5 million lb.
“Production was very close to the level recorded for the same quarter in 2012, with two consecutive quarters of growth in South America but some falls in output elsewhere,” said IMOA secretary-general Tim Outteridge. “Global use increased again, up 4% from the same quarter in 2012, with use in both the USA and China increasing for two consecutive quarters.”