Mozambique reaches cement production record

Domestic cement production in Mozambique reached a record 277,000t in 1Q12 with imports falling to 79,000t.

The commissioning of new factories across the country was the main driver to this growth, according to National Director of Industry Sidonio dos Santos. A new cement plant, Cimento Nacional, was recently commissioned, adding 0.25Mta to the national capacity figure. In addition, Cimentos de Mocambique, the largest works in the country, inaugurated a new 0.4Mta mill, which enabled the company to increase its output.

As a result of new capacity entering operation in 2011, Mozambique’s total cement production capacity climbed from 1.3Mta to 2Mt YoY. This enabled the country to reduce its imports in the first three months of this year. Domestic production reached 79,000t while imports stood at 16,000t. In the subsequent month these figures were 90,000t and 26,000t, respectively. In March, national cement companies produced 108,000t while this supply was complemented by 37,000t of imports.

"We believe we will meet the government's 5-year plan for cement production, because investors are implementing their projects to increase production and build new factories," said Dos Santos.

The government expects to inaugurate another three cement factories in the Maputo, including 0.5Mta GS Cimentos, 0.12Mta ADIL Cement and the 0.13Mta Maputo Cement and Steel Maputo. Mozambique currently has five cement plants.

To protect this new and existing capacity, Industry and Trade Minister Armando Inroga announced last January that the government is considering a quota system for cement imports later this year.