Moroccan demand up 5% in November

Cement demand in Morocco increased 5.2 per cent YoY in November 2017 to 1,274,165t from 1,211,298t in October 2016, according to data by the country's Ministry of Housing and Urbanisation.

Market expansion was particularly strong in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, which saw consumption increase 47.6 per cent to 8500t in November when compared with November 2016 volumes. The Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima market also noted robust growth at 17.2 per cent YoY to 170,583t as did he Rabat-Salé-Kénitra market, which expanded 16.3 per cent YoY to 170,908t. Marrakech-Safi volumes advanced by 13.8 per cent to 172,667t when compared with November 2016. In Laâyoune-Sakia Elhamra demand increased by 10 per cent to 33,395t. However, Drâa-Tafilalet and Béni Mellal-Khénifra reported a contraction of demand of 18.2 and 9.8 per cent, respectively, to 39,800t in the former and to 58,572t in the latter market.

In terms of cement demand in the first 11 months of 2017, a 2.9 per cent fall was reported, from 13,036,825t in 11M16 to 12,665,834t in 11M17. Although from a low base, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab saw consumption rise 34.8 per cent to77,878t while Guelmim-Oued Noun noted the second-largest increase in demand, a 21.9 per cent advance YoY to 143,659t. Demand also rose in Souss Massa (five per cent to 1,154,430t) and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (+3.6 per cent to 1,682,721t). The rest of the country saw cement sales contract, varying between -1.9 per cent (Fès-Meknès - 1,128,818t) and -12.5 per cent (Béni Mellal-Khénifra - 635,063t).