Saudi cement exports down 18% YoY in January

Saudi Arabia reported a 17.8 per cent YoY decline in its cement exports in January 2024 with volumes falling from 638,000t in January 2023 to 524,000t in the same period a year later. According to Aljazira Capital, domestic sales in January this year came in at 4.48Mt, compared to 4.28Mt in the same period a year earlier, marking a 4.7 per cent improvement. 

The Saudi cement sector’s total utilisation rate stood at 63.8 per cent in January 2024, reports Zawya. Meanwhile, clinker inventories were recorded at 40.67Mt in January this year, up 16 per cent YoY and up 1.8 per cent compared to December 2023. This is the first time clinker inventories have exceeded 40Mt since September 2020, according to Aljazira Capital.