Iran increases cement output

Iran plans to increase its annual cement output by 2.4Mt to 34Mt in the current Iranian calendar year to March 2005, Iran’s Industries and Mines Minister, Eshaq Jahangiri, was quoted as saying at the inauguration ceremony of the cement plant in Yasuj, Kohkiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province, western Iran.

Iran’s cement consumption increased by 90 per cent for the past three years, Jahangiri said. This calendar year’s demand for cement is estimated at 33Mt.

Iran has set an ambitious goal in its Fourth five-year social-economic development plan for 2005 to 2010 to raise the annual cement production to some 70Mt, Jahangiri also explained.