The cement output of Saudi Arabia’s eight cement companies rose to 6.1Mt for the first three months of 2004, from 5.6Mt in the corresponding period of 2003, recent statistics showed.  Clinker output totalled 5.437Mt, up from 5.415Mt. Local cement sales stood at 5.8Mt, compared to 5.2Mt. Cement exports decreased to 398,000t from 477,000t, as only three of the eight companies exported cement during the period. Clinker exports registered a significant drop to 75,000t from 340,000t.