Argentina’s cement market expanded 4.1 per cent MoM to 1,007,450t in June, according to the country’s cement association, AFCP. When compared with June 2016, the increase reached 17.2 per cent. Around 8972t of imports are included in this figure – more than quadrupling when compared with June 2016 although when compared with May 2017, the rise is more modest at 51 per cent.

Domestic cement companies dispatched 1,001,428t, including exports, up 3.6 per cent MoM and 16.1 per cent YoY. Of this total, exports reached 2950t, down 41.2 per cent YoY and 43.2 per cent MoM.

In the first six months of 2017, domestic cement dispatches reached 5.491Mt, representing an 8.9 per cent increase YoY, but local producers saw cement exports fall by 7.6 per cent to 35,443t. Furthermore, imports rose sharply from 1962t in 1H16 to 28,950t in 1H17. As a result, Argentine cement demand increased 9.4 per cent YoY from 5.044Mt in 1H16 to 5.52Mt in the first six months of 2017.