Brazil cement sales stable in March

Cement sales in Brazil remained stable at 5.5Mt in March 2022 when compared with March 2021, according to the country’s cement association, SNIC. When compared with February 2022, sales increased 14.6 per cent.

"Sales in January this year were 8.2 per cent below January of last year. With the rains, it was not possible to distribute anything. Since then, we are recovering, month by month, the cement sales volume", says Paulo Camillo Penna, SNIC president. Sales were also impacted by the rise in interest rates and high inflation as well as geopolitical instability.

Meanwhile, costs of cement inputs have been rising, according to Mr Penna. Petcoke prices were up 37 per cent in the 1Q22.

The sector is expected to end 2022 with flat sales, ending a three-year growth run. In 2019 demand expanded 3.5 per cent, followed by a 10.6 per cent increase in 2020 and a 6.6 per cent advance in 2021. Furthermore, costs of gypsum, bags, refractory materials, sea and road freight. have also been increasing.