KIEV, Aug. 5 - Ukraine produced a preliminary estimate of 12.723 million tons of metallurgical coke with 6%-moisture content in January-July 2008, up 9.9% year-on-year, Anatoliy Starovoit, director of the Dnipropetrovsk-based coke producers' association Ukrkoks, told Interfax-Ukraine.

July coke production came to 1.782 million tons.

But Starovoit said coking coal supply was still tight. "Shipments from Russia have slackened, although production at Ukrainian mines has increased. However demand for coke is on the increase, and not all plants are getting enough," he said.