Cement dispatches in Peru slipped 1.9 per cent in September to 0.887Mt from 0.905Mt in September 2014, according to Asocem, the country’s cement association. Exports declined by 13.9 per cent to 26,000t in September.

Cement production increased 4.6 per cent YoY to 0.958Mt as the new plant of Cementos Pacasmayo, located in Piura, came on-stream. However, Asocem said: “The September production [figure] includes several tests at the new plant and therefore the strong rise in output is an anomaly and it is expected that a return to equilibrium levels will return over the next few months.” Output from Peru’s cement plants has been falling steadily since April with monthly statistics indicating declines of 5.4-8.3 per cent.

For the year to date, domestic deliveries have fallen 2.5 per cent to 10.028Mt while production has decreased 1.4 per cent to 10.444Mt. Exports total 241,000t, down 18 per cent from 294,000t in 9M2014.