Peru’s cement consumption advanced 4.8 per cent to 0.931Mt in March 2019 when compared with March 2018, according to the country’s cement association, Asocem.

The figure includes 105,500t of cement imports, up 116 per cent from 48,900t in March 2018. Peru also imported 32,500t of clinker, representing a 63 per cent fall YoY when compared 87,400t in the equivalent period of the previous year.

Meanwhile, domestic cement production in the South American country increased 4.3 per cent YoY and 6.9 per cent MoM to 0.857Mt in March 2019. Clinker output was up 15.8 per cent YoY and 22.2 per cent MoM to 0.705Mt in the same period.

Of this output, domestic cement producers exported in March 2019 a total of 11,400t of cement and 73,300t of clinker, representing YoY declines of 53 and 23 per cent, respectively.