Turkish cement production to rise

Turkish cement production will increase by between 7.0 per cent and 8.0 per cent year-on-year in 2005, according to the chairman of Turkish Cement Manufacturers Association, Adnan Ignebekcili.  The local cement industry reported a 10 per cent year-on-year rise in output for 2004 to a total 38.7Mt.  Cement sales in the country went up by 10 per cent year-on-year to 30.8Mt in 2004 and are expected to grow further by between 4.0 per cent and 5.0 per cent in 2005. 

Turkish cement exports totalled 8.2Mt in 2004, compared to 7.4Mt in the previous year.  The major market for the Turkish cement in 2004 was Iraq with around 2Mt of exports.