Colombian cement dispatches slip 3.6% in Feb17

Colombia's cement market in February 2017 contracted 3.6 per cent to 1.008Mt when compared with February 2016, according to DANE, the country's statistics office.

Domestic cement plants produced 1.048Mt in the second month of the year, representing a 2.6 per cent decline YoY.

In January-February 2017, cement sales reached 1.921Mt and were down 3.2 per cent when compared with January-February 2016. Cement production in the first two months of 2017 fell 4.2 per cent YoY to 1.959Mt.

The largest decreases in sales in the 2M17 were noted in Casanare (-36.3 per cent), Boyacá (-18 per cent) and Santander (-11.8 per cent). However, sales growth was also noted in some departments. Sales in Caldas rose by 8.9 per cent YoY while Antioquia saw a 5.4 per cent rise YoY and dispatches in Cundinamarca advanced by three per cent in 2M17.