Argentina’s cement demand increased 9.8 per cent YoY to 967,695t, according to the country’s cement association, AFCP.

The rise in consumption is mainly attributable to an increase in bulk cement, which was up 28 per cent YoY, offsetting a three per cent dip in bagged sales.

Domestic demand includes 5932t of imports, a MoM rise of 86.7 per cent. In May 2016 there were no cement imports.

In terms of dispatches by domestic producers, these reached 966,958t in May, representing a MoM rise of 14.8 per cent and a YoY increase of 8.7 per cent. The figure includes 5195t of exports, representing a 14.3 per cent rise MoM but a 33 per cent drop when compared with May 2016.

In the first five months of 2017, domestic consumption increased 7.8 per cent YoY to around 4.512Mt, which includes 19,978t of imports, considerably higher than the 60t imported in the first five months of 2016. 

Argentine cement producers dispatched 4.525Mt of cement in 5M17, up 7.3 per cent YoY. However, they saw exports slip by 2.5 per cent YoY to 32,493t.