Poland: The Association of Polish Cement Producers has expressed increasing concern over quadrupled year-on-year growth in cement imports from Ukraine, to 330,000t in 2023.
Zbigniew Pilch, the head of the association, highlighted the contrasting rise in imports and 12% fall in domestic production, to 16.6Mt. He said “The scale of imports from Ukraine is growing almost every month, reaching nearly 50% of total imports in January 2024. These volumes are deeply concerning.”
A primary issue raised by the association is the difference in environmental regulations faced by Ukrainian and Polish cement producers. The association argues that Ukrainian producers are not subjected to as rigorous climate policies as Polish producers, leading to an uneven playing field. Additionally, the localised nature of the cement market means eastern Polish producers are particularly affected by the ‘influx’ of Ukrainian cement.
