Vietnam used 3.15Mt of cement in April, up 10 per cent on-year, brining the total figure to 9.79Mt in the first four months of this year, according to the Ministry of Construction.  The increase is attributed to the coming of the construction season in the country.  
 
The ministry forecast that cement consumption in the coming months, especially the two remaining months of the second quarter will reach 3.2-3.5Mt a month.  Last month, prices of cement from many factories increased by between VND15,000 and VND30,000/ton. Despite a rise in cement consumption, the industry has pledged to ensure adequate cement volume for the domestic market, especially for difficult areas.  

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam is predicted to use 31.5-32Mt of cement this year, up 6.8-8.47 per cent against last year.   The country’s demand for cement is forecast to grow 8-10% between now and 2010.