Paraguay: INC faces increased Brazilian imports

Brazil’s current imports of around 400,000 bags of cement is damaging the Paraguayan cement industry, according to Jorge Méndez, CEO of Industria Nacional de Cemento (INC). This represents over a third of monthly cement demand.

"What we're seeing is that cement consumption is virtually unchanged, but a lot of product is entering [Paraguay] from Brazil," he said. Particularly in Alto Paraná it is difficult to sell cement as Brazilian cement is sold at around PYG36,000/bag. While some cement enters the country legally, there is also a significant volume that is smuggled across the border.

The imports have reduced INC sales by around five per cent.