MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Mining and metallurgical company Severstal is in the process of reorienting exports and intends to increase the volume of metal products supplied to North Africa, India and southeastern countries, General Director of Severstal Alexander Shevelev told reporters.

"Southeastern countries, North Africa, India are indeed our focus. We are already supplying metal products there, and in the near future we will increase the volume of metal products supplied to these countries," he said.

Shevelev explained that the current exchange rate severely limits the company in export deliveries, making them ineffective. The company hopes that the authorities will take appropriate measures to bring the ruble exchange rate to levels that preserve the competitiveness of exporters, he added.

In addition, he noted that in terms of import substitution, the company is reorienting to domestic suppliers, but does not rule out supplies from China and South Korea. He added that some of materials will remain European due to parallel imports, but the company intends to replace a significant part of them.