Vietnam: cement sales rise

The total volume of cement sales on the domestic market reached almost 16.6 million tonnes in the Jan-Aug period or up 13.2 percent year on year.  Local cement factories reported a combined output of 16.2 million tonnes in the period under review, making up 63.3 percent of the annual target and a 7.5 percent increse over last year’s corresponding figure. The Viet Nam Cement Corporation (VNCC), the country’s major producer, has turned out 7.5 million tonnes so far this year.

In order to avoid a cement fever, which commonly happened during previous dry seasons, local cement producers imported 2.1 million tonnes of clinker over the past eight months. They will buy more clinker from abroad in the remainder of the year. The move aims to satisfy domestic demand, focusing on the southern market where supplies are forecast to fall short of demand by about 2 million tonnes.

The Ministry of Construction has been working with the Ministry of Transport and Communications on a plan to carry 1.8 million tonnes of cement to the south. In addition, VNCC has also ordered its affiliates to reserve 1 million tonnes of clinker and 350,000 tonnes of cement, to help stabilise the market through the end of the year.-Enditem.