Algeria imports 3.6Mt of cement in 9M2013

Algerian cement imports jumped by 65 per cent in terms of value and 70 per cent in volume during the first nine months of 2013, according to the country’s customs statistics office.

Imports of cement rose from US$194.77m to US$322.5m during the first nine months of 2013 when compared with the equivalent period of 2012. Import volumes increased from 2.109Mt to 3.595Mt – mostly Portland cement, which represented US$283.8m and 3.076Mt.

Algeria’s cement deficit currently exceeds 5Mta with the country’s cement plants producing around 18Mta. The development of the cement industry is one of the government’s priorities, aiming to enable the sector to produce 20Mta by 2016 and 29Mta by 2018. Four new cement plants and the expansion of six existing works are planned.