Brazilian cement sales surged 26.5 per cent YoY to 5.3Mt in April, according to the domestic cement association, SNIC.

Domestic sales
Sales within Brazil saw a 25.8 per cent uptick to 5.219Mt in April 2021 from 4.148Mt in the equivalent period of 2020. The volume of cement sales per working day increased 8.2 per cent MoM and 25.8 per cent YoY to 237,200t. However, the considerable rise is due to a low base in the equivalent period of 2020, which saw the worst performance of the year as sales were down by six per cent.

Brazil’s southeastern region, the largest domestic market, saw a 17.8 per cent YoY market expansion to 2.466Mt in April while the key northeast market saw sales grow by 34.8 per cent YoY to 1.007Mt. In the south offtake was up 29.6 per cent YoY to 0.929Mt while in the central-west sales rose by 36.4 per cent YoY to 0.6Mt. In the north, the country’s smallest market, consumption was up 44.7 per cent YoY to 0.217Mt.

In the January-April 2021 period, total sales increased 20.8 per cent YoY while the sales per working day were up 21.7 per cent.

Domestic sales were up 20.4 per cent YoY to 20.365Mt in the 4M21 from 16.921Mt in the 4M20. Sales in the southeast increased 17.4 per cent YoY to 9.572Mt in the 4M21, while in the northeast they advanced 22.6 per cent YoY to 4.233Mt.  In the south a 21.9 per cent YoY advance to 3.515Mt was reported. Demand increased by 26.9 per cent YoY to 2.232Mt in the central-western region. In the north there was a 20.8 per cent YoY uptick to 0.813Mt.

The main drivers for this market expansion were found in the real estate sector, as well as residential and commercials reforms. In São Paulo real estate launches advanced 98 per cent in March when compared with March 2020.

However, despite positive expectations noted between May-October 2020, confidence has been muted since November 2020 with the construction index returning to a lower level than observed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exports
The export market also provided for better opportunities, reflected in a rise in exports to 33,000t in April 2021 from 5000t in April 2020. In the first four months of 2021 exports increased from 46,000t in the 4M20 to 124,000t.