Compared with February, sales per business day fell 1.5%.
Total domestic cement sales increased 11.5% in March on the same month last year, to 4.222Mt. In the first three months of 2009, sales rose 2.1% to 11.72Mt.
The Brazilian government has prioritised homebuilding and infrastructure as ways of combating the global economic crisis. A reduction of the IPI value-added tax on cement and the so-called "My Home, My Life" federal housing program should help avoid a drop in cement sales in the second half and in 2010.
In the 12 months to March, domestic cement sales hit a record 51.32Mt, Snic said.
