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U.S. 1st-quarter steel imports off 21.3 percent

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. steel imports fell 21.3 percent in the first quarter, the government said on Wednesday in a report that suggested import tariffs imposed by the Bush administration were having an impact.

January-March steel imports fell to 5.871 million metric tons from 7.460 million in the first quarter of 2002, the Commerce Department said.

In its preliminary data for April, the department said imports totaled 1.638 million metric tons, down 9.3 percent from a year earlier and off 20.6 percent from March.

Commerce said the drop in the first quarter reflected fewer imports of blooms, billets and slabs, and reinforcing bars. The largest decreases were from Brazil, Russia and Japan, while the largest increase was from Mexico.

It said the decline from March to April reflected decreases primarily in wire rods and blooms, billets and slabs, and fewer imports primarily from Turkey.

U.S. March imports, at 2.063 million metric tons, were revised upward from 1.995 million reported a month ago.

In March 2002, to aid the struggling domestic steel industry, the Bush administration imposed duties of up to 30 percent on steel imported from Europe, Asia and Latin America. But U.S. imports continued to increase for some time despite the tariffs, which are set to expire in March 2005.

The Commerce Department figures are reported on a census basis and are not seasonally adjusted.