Brazil increased its cement imports from Arab countries this year, according to ANBA. From January to September the Latin American country purchased 247,000t of cement, 12 times more than in the equivalent period of 2010. Arab cement was imported mainly by UAE, but also by Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. Revenues soared from US$2.3m to US$15.1m.

However, cement imports into Brazil remain relatively small when compared with its total cement consumption. According to the country’s cement association SNIC, the market absorbed 47.2Mt of cement during the first nine months of 2011, representing a YoY increase of 7.7%.