Argentina's cement consumption up 17% YoY in November

The Argentine cement market expanded 16.5 per cent in November 2017 with consumption increasing to 1,179,763t from 1,013,083t, according to the latest data from the country’s cement producers' association, AFCP. When compared with October 2017, domestic demand edged up 2.5 per cent from 1,150,794t.

Cement production increased 15.4 per cent YoY to 1,174,989t in November from 1,017,760t in November 2016. Of this output, some 1,163,215t were delivered to the domestic market, a 15.5 per cent rise from 1,007,185t in the equivalent period of the previous year. This was supplemented by 16,548t of imports, representing a YoY rise of 180.6 per cent from the 9720t reported in November 2016. Exports rose by 11.3 per cent from 10,575t in November 2016 to 11,774t one year later.

For the first 11 months of 2017, domestic consumption increased 12.5 per cent from 9.883Mt in 11M16 to 11.12Mt. This demand was met mainly by domestic producers, who delivered 11.037Mt of cement, up 11.9 per cent when compared with 9.862Mt supplied in 11M16. Imports nearly quadrupled in January-November 2017 to 82,442t from 21,048t in the year-ago period. Argentine producers also exported some 71,591t of product, a volume that remained stable when compared with 11M16.