Vietnam has reported a 7.2 per cent rise in production for the first half of the year to 28.1Mt, the country’s General Statistics Office (GSO) has said.

Last month, cement output increased by 21 per cent to 5.3Mt compared to the same month of the previous year, the GSO said in its monthly report on the sector.

However, the office has revised down cement production figures for the January-May 2013 period to 22.9Mt from a previous estimate of 23.5Mt.

This year, cement sales are envisaged to rise by 5-8 per cent YoY to 48-49Mt.