SAIL posts record high-value steel production of nearly 2 million tonnes in first half
Key Facts
SAIL said its high-value-added steel production reached nearly 2 million tonnes in the first half of fiscal 2027, up 30% from the corresponding period. The figure was part of a set of operating indicators the company reported for the period ended September 30, 2026. Iron ore sales also rose to 2.671 million tonnes, up 190% from the corresponding period. On efficiency, the company said specific energy consumption was 6.17 gigacalories per tonne of crude steel, its best half-year performance. It also reported reducing inventory by about 0.145 million tonnes and borrowings by about 1,080 crore rupees in the first half.
The production figures reflect an improved steel mix, with SAIL describing high-value steel output as a record for April to September, up 30% from the corresponding period. This category is an important measure of the company's activity because it tracks output of higher value-added products. Iron ore sales of 2.671 million tonnes showed a sharp 190% increase, according to the company statement. The statement cited in the evidence did not specify the reason for the increase or provide details of sales channels. The figures therefore remain operating indicators reported by the company, without attributing the change to any particular factor.
Specific energy consumption was 6.17 gigacalories per tonne of crude steel, which SAIL said represented its best half-year performance, with an improvement of 0.5%. The indicator offers a measure of energy efficiency in crude steel production during the period. On working capital and financing, the company said it reduced inventory by about 0.145 million tonnes and borrowings by about 1,080 crore rupees. The available figures did not detail the value of inventory or total debt before the reductions. The company also did not quantify the financial impact of improved energy consumption or lower inventory and borrowings.
Results for the first quarter of fiscal 2027 provide earlier context for the company's performance in the first half. SAIL reported net profit after tax of 1,636 crore rupees in the first quarter, compared with 685 crore rupees in the corresponding quarter of fiscal 2026. Operating revenue in the same period was 26,246 crore rupees, against 25,921 crore rupees a year earlier. But first-quarter crude steel production fell to 4.76 million tonnes from 4.85 million tonnes in the corresponding period. These indicators show divergence between growth in profit and revenue and a decline in quarterly crude steel production, without in themselves identifying the reasons for those movements.
The company had set a board meeting to consider unaudited results for the half-year ended September 30, 2026, and later announced that the board approved the results on October 22, 2026. The step links the first-half operating figures to a review of the period's financial results, but the available evidence does not add financial figures for the half-year itself. The board approval date remains the latest dated milestone in the results announcement described here. The detailed first-half indicators available cover high-value steel production, iron ore sales, energy consumption, and reductions in inventory and borrowings.