Cement sales in June 2025 declined by 1.8 per cent YoY to 5.385Mt from 5.482Mt in June 2024, according to the country’s cement association, SNIC. 

The northeast posted the largest increase, by 3.6 per cent, to 1.11Mt from 1.071Mt in June 2024 while the central-west saw a 0.2 per cent uptick to 0.664Mt from 0.663Mt in the year-ago period. However, all other regions saw a market contraction. The largest drop in demand was seen in the south where cement sales fell 4.8 per cent YoY to 0.868Mt from 0.912Mt in June 2024. In the key southeast market, sales were down by 3.5 per cent YoY to 2.476Mt in June 2025 from 2.566Mt. Sales in the northern market slipped by 1.1 per cent YoY to 0.267Mt from 0.27Mt in June 2024. 

Exports increased 20 per cent YoY to 6000t from 5000t in June 2024.

January-June 2025
In the January-June 2025 Brazilian cement demand increased by 3.5 per cent YoY to 31.992Mt from 30.906Mt in the 1H24. 

Sales in the southeast market, the country’s largest, increased 1.6 per cent YoY to 14.626Mt in the 1H25 from 14.397Mt. The northeast market expanded by 7.4 per cent YoY to 6.77Mt from 6.302Mt while in the south sales advanced by 5.5 per cent YoY to 5.488Mt from 5.203Mt. Demand in the central-western market rose by 1.3 per cent to 3.605Mt in the 1H25 from 3.559Mt in the year-ago period. The north saw a four per cent YoY uptick in sales to 1.503Mt from 1.445Mt in the 1H24.

Sales continue to be mainly driven by the real estate sector and the labour market, said SNIC. 

The Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV) housing programme is driving the expansion f new product launches. Accounting for more than half of residential property launches, the programme saw a 40.9 per cent increase in sales when compared with the same period of 2024. 

However, the shortage of skilled labour, the growing use of the government's housing programme for the purchase of used properties, and the difficulties in accessing credit imposed by high interest rates remain the main challenges for the real estate sector. Rising costs compromise the viability of projects, affect the financial stability of construction projects, and hinder the planning of new developments, according to SNIC.

The labour market remains buoyant, however, with record numbers of formally employed works and record earnings. 

Outlook 
Cement consumption is expected to slow in the remainder of 2025. Current baseline projects indicate a market expansion of 2.1 per cent in 2025. 

“Government incentives, such as the increase in the Continuous Benefit Payment (BPC) and the maintenance of spending, combined with a buoyant labor market, are delaying the slowdown in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. On the other hand, the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), which plays an important role in cement demand, is not performing as expected and is struggling to achieve the necessary progress.
“The potential taxation of LCI (Real Estate Credit Letters) is a concern for the construction sector, as these financial products invest in real estate projects and are currently tax-exempt. This new tax is expected to deter investment, as it will reduce profitability and increase the cost of housing finance,” said SNIC.