Crude steel production in the Middle East and Africa increased 4.9 per cent in November for the countries assessed by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), the Brussels-based industry group’s latest figures reveal.

The six countries monitored produced 2.84 million tonnes of crude steel in November, compared with 2.68 million tonnes in the same month last year.

Two of the region’s largest producers – Iran and Egypt – recorded double-digit gains. Iranian production rose 12 per cent year-on-year to 1.22 million tonnes, while Egytian output surged 15.3 per cent to 548,000 tonnes.

Saudi Arabian production grew 2.4 per cent to 437,000 tonnes, while Morocco and Algeria, much smaller steel-producing countries, recorded drops of 6.6 per cent and 36.3 per cent, respectively.

For the first 11 months of 2012, crude steel production in the Middle East and Africa, which also includes South Africa, grew 4.9 per cent to 31.32 million tonnes, according to Worldsteel.

In the 62 countries assessed by Worldsteel, output rose 13.7 per cent year-on-year in November to 57.5 million tonnes driven by Chinese production growth.