Spain saw cement consumption down 50 per cent YoY in April 2020 to less than 0.6Mt, according to the country’s cement association, Oficemen. The decline in demand has been attributed to the suspension of non-essential works between 30 March and 9 April.

"If the economy is not reactivated immediately, we can find ourselves facing a situation in the consumption of cement in our country worse than the worst year of the previous crisis," concludes Oficement President, Victor García Brosa.

In addition, exports sharply fell by 63.6 per cent YoY in April from 0.654Mt in April 2019 to 0.238Mt.

In January-April 2020, cement consumption saw a 22 per cent YoY drop to 3,731,505t while in the last 12 months (May 2019-April 2020) the decline stood at 4.6 per cent, falling below 14Mt.

Exports in the first four months of 2020 saw a 25.5 per cent drop, down by almost 600,000t.

Oficemen urged the government to reactivate construction on the buildings related to the 2030 agenda and the European “Green Pact” be activated and also wants to see a relaunch of the residential construction demand.