In May 2026, Viet Nam produced 2.6 million tonnes of crude steel, up 27.2% year on year—the fastest May growth rate among the ten countries in worldsteel's year-to-date top-producer ranking. Output from the 70 reporting countries and regions slipped 0.3%.
Edited by BVM on 9 October 2026 from VNSTEEL's 24 June report and checked against worldsteel's 23 June release. These are May figures, not a statement about today's prices or stock.
A mixed global picture
The 70 reporting countries and regions produced 157.9 million tonnes in May, down 0.3% year on year. January–May output totalled 773.1 million tonnes, down 1.5%. The group represented about 98% of world crude-steel production in 2025. Asia and Oceania made 116.2 million tonnes (-0.9%); the EU-27, 11.4 million (-0.4%); and North America, 10.1 million (+15.6%). China produced 84.4 million tonnes (-2.7%). These output figures alone do not establish the cause of a price movement. Source: worldsteel.
Viet Nam's year-on-year increase
Viet Nam's May output was 2.6 million tonnes, up 27.2%. The January–May total was 12.6 million tonnes, up 26.8%. The ten-country ranking is based on year-to-date tonnage; Viet Nam's 27.2% was the highest May year-on-year rate within that group. Crude-steel production is not the same as finished steel available for an individual order. Source: worldsteel.
BVM's purchasing perspective
BVM editorial view: higher output provides market context, but buyers still need to verify the actual supply for each order. Specify the grade, standard, dimensions and delivery condition; check producer, origin, batch identification and MTC as required; then confirm inventory and delivery dates. A national output figure cannot confirm the price, stock or quality of a particular item.
Sources: worldsteel (23 June 2026) and VNSTEEL (24 June 2026). BVM independently edited this retrospective and added practical purchasing analysis.
