Moroccan 2013 cement sales decline

Cement sales in Morocco showed a 6.3 per cent decline in 2013, reflecting a worsening market contraction. In 2012, sales fell by 1.6 per cent, according to the Association Professionnelle des Cimentiers (APC).

The latest figures, which show a 4.4 per cent decline in sales in December come after a November rebound in demand from a 18.63 per cent drop in October.

APC Managing Director, Ahmed Bouhaouli, attributes the fall to several reasons. The slowdown in the real estate market, which accounts for 75-80 per cent of cement demand is one such factor. However, for 2014, a more positive picture emerges, according to Mr Bouhaouli. A new middle-class housing programme is currently under negotiation between the government and developers.