Iran cement exports fell 8.5 per cent YoY in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar, but a rise in clinker shipments boosted the overall total.

During the first eight months of the year (beginning 21 March 2014) cement exports amounted to 9.25Mt, Iran’s IRNA News Agency reported.

Abdolreza Sheykhan, an official with the Iran's Cement Producers Association, said that the insecurity in Iraq and reduction in the number of destination markets for Iran’s cement are the major reasons behind the fall in exports.

“Azerbaijan was one of the major importers of Iran’s cement, but the country has now reached self-sufficiency and reduced its imports from Iran,” he said. However, Russia and African countries were cited as new markets for Iranian cement exports, Mr Sheykhan added.

Total exports for the eight month period amounted to 13.4Mt of cement and clinker in the first eight months of the current year, up 6.6 per cent compared to the previous year. The increase came mainly due to a rise in clinker production and exports which reached 4.1Mt, 50 per cent more than the previous year.