Vietnam is estimated to import 2-2.5 million tons of steel scraps in 2009 and 3-4.5 million tons of the material for steel billet production in 2010, local newspaper Industry and Trade reported Thursday.

    The country currently has 25 steel billet smelting furnaces, including 18 operational and seven under construction, with combined annual capacity of 4.5 million tons. The seven furnaces will become operational in the 2009-2010 period.

    Vietnam is estimated to import nearly 2 million tons of steel scraps this year, up from 1.1 million tons last year.