Vietnam exported 7.5Mt of cement and clinker, to a value of US$291m, in the first quarter of this year, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The lower volume has been attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.

Total exports fell by nearly 40 per cent in volume while the value declined by 20 per cent when compared with the year-ago period, when the country exported 12Mt with a value of US$360m. In 2019, Vietnam exported 33.8Mt of cement and clinker, earning just under US$4bn.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Construction forecast exports of around 33Mt and a domestic demand of 69-70Mt. Two cement production lines were also expected to be commissioned, resulting in a total of 86 plants with a combined output of 105.84Mta, reports Saigon Online.