State-owned Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem), the country’s leading cement producer, produced 10.24Mt of cement in the first seven months of this year, rising 4.7 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Clinker output, however, fell one per cent YoY to 9.43Mt during the period.

In July, Vicem’s cement output rose 7.8 per cent YoY to 1.54Mt, while the corporation’s clinker output was 1.47Mt, up 8.1 per cent.

In the first seven months, Vicem’s total clinker and cement sales rose seven per cent YoY to 12.7Mt, including 1.88Mt in July, down 3.9 per cent.

Of the total, 10.6Mt of cement and clinker were sold in the domestic market, down 7.7 per cent YoY, and 2.12Mt were exported, up 86 per cent.

As of July 31, Vicem posted 1.06Mt of cement and clinker inventory, including 700,000t of clinker.