Indonesian market contracts, exports rising in August

Cement deliveries in Indonesia slipped by 3.2 per cent YoY in August 2019 to 6,323,297t from 6,532,840t in August 2018, according to data by the Indonesian cement association, ASI, cited by Semen Indonesia Group.

Demand in the key market of Java declined 4.4 per cent YoY to 3,531,413t while in Sumatra, the country’s second-largest market consumption the fall was of the same order, to 1,357,821t. Sulawesi showed the strongest growth at 8.3 per cent, reporting deliveries of 564,350t while on Kalimantan dispatches fell by 4.6 per cent YoY to 392,317t. In Nusa Tenggara and Indonesia Timur, the country’s smallest markets, deliveries edged down by around two per cent YoY to 344,862t and 132,525t, respectively.

However, cement exports saw a 50.9 per cent surge to 160,058t in August 2019 when compared with the previous year, when they stood at 106,087t. Clinker exports were up a more modest but significant 19.4 per cent YoY to 519,291t from 435,055t in August 2018.