Vietnam exports seen rising

Exports of cement and clinker are forecast to increase by 27 per cent this year compared to 2011, according to forecasts by the Vietnam Cement Association (VNCA).

As as the country attempts to reduce excess supplies, the VNCA expects clinker exports this year to reach 6.2Mt and cement exports to be around the 1.5Mt mark, bringing overall volumes to 7.7Mt. Last year, total exports reached 6.04Mt, comprising 5.76Mt of clinker and 0.28Mt of cement.

For the first six months of 2012, around 3Mt of clinker was exported and 0.7Mt of cement. Vietnam’s main export destinations include Africa, Bangladesh, Singapore, Brunei and the Middle East.

Domestic cement consumption, meanwhile, is expected to decline by 4.4 per cent this year to 48Mt from the 50.2Mt achieved in 2012, according to VNCA estimates. Cement production is also expected to see a marginal fall from 57Mt in 2011 to 54Mt for full year-2012.