Brazil expects to produced around 1Mt more of cement this year. In 2004, the companies active in the sector produced 34.4Mt according to the National Union of the Cement Industry, which believes that production will increase by three per cent in 2005, meaning a total of 35.4Mt. Last year, the sector exported the equivalent to 500,000t. Until April this year, a total of 180,000t was shipped abroad. Production reached 11.1Mt in the period. The main market for the Brazilian cement is still the US but the country also sells to Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay. Last year, Brazil also exported to Africa.