The Moroccan cement market is not about to recover. The latest figures indicate a third-consecutive year of contraction, according to APC, the Moroccan cement producers' association. The cement market has contracted at the end of August by 4.98 per cent to 9.3Mt, the latest data shows.

The fall in sales, which started in 2012, has been due to a low residential housing demand, attributed to rising real estate and building material prices. In the first quarter of 2014, housing starts feel 51 per cent. The 2013 cut to the national budget have also impacted on the sector and are expected to continue in 2015.

In addition, the arrival of CIMAT has exacerbated the overcapacity in the cement sector, which now experiences a 6Mt surplus.