Indonesian cement market growth could reach 10 per cent this year driven largely by government infrastructure projects, according to forecasts by the country’s Ministry of Industry.

Toeti Rahajoe, the ministry's director of downstream chemical industry, yesterday said that growth will also be driven by project development of the private sector.

However, Widodo Santoso, chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association, puts market growth at seven per cent this year – provided the government realises the IDR1100trn worth of infrastructure projects. "If not, the growth would stay at 3-4 per cent,” he told Indonesian weekly magazine 'Tempo'.

According to Widodo, Next year, there will be additional supplies from several new plants amounting to 10Mta.