Cement consumption in Peru increased 5.8 per cent YoY to 1.02Mt in December 2018, according to the latest data from Peru’s cement association, Asocem.
Cement production remained largely stable in December 2018 at 906,000t, up 0.9 per cent YoY and 0.6 per cent MoM. Clinker output rose 2.1 per cent YoY to 913,000t and 6.9 per cent MoM from 855,000t.
Domestic production was supplemented by 136,800t of cement imports, up 49 per cent YoY while clinker imports edged up by three per cent to 44,000t.
The country's cement producers exported 18,800t of cement in December 2018, some 51 per cent less than in December 2017. Clinker exports rose by 10 per cent to 67,100t over the same period.
Sector advances in 2018
In 2018 Peruvian cement demand advanced 3.7 per cent YoY to 11.244Mt from 10.845Mt in 2017.
Most of this demand was met by domestic production of 10.049Mt (+0.7 per cent YoY), but around 0.982Mt of cement was imported, up 60 per cent YoY. Clinker imports saw a 49 per cent rise to 0.784Mt in 2018 when compared to 2017.
Cement was mainly imported from Vietnam, which accounted for 85 per cent of total cement imports, with smaller volumes supplied by China (nine per cent share) and Mexico (three per cent). In terms of clinker, South Korea was the main importer, accounting for about a third of the clinker imports, closely followed by Vietnam (31 per cent). Ecuador was the point of origin for around 19 per cent of clinker imports and Japan supplied equivalent to 17 per cent of the total.
Cement producers exported 1265,800t of cement in December 2018, representing a 26 per cent drop when compared to December 2017. Clinker exports surged 63 per cent YoY to 896,900t in 2018.
