KIEV, Dec. 27 – Ukraine could raise steel production by 3-3.5% in 2011, to 34 million tons, according to Volodymyr Vlasiuk, head of the state enterprise Ukrpromzovnishekspertyza.

Steel production will rise by 9.2% this year, to 32.5 million tons.

Vlasiuk said that the economic 2008-2009 crisis threw the steel industry back 10 years. Output peaked at 43 million tons in 2007, while in 2008-2009 production fell by over 30%, to 30 million tons.

He said that the loading of Ukrainian steel mills would average at 70% this year, compared with 77% in other countries.