Displaying items by tag: Import

Kazakhstan: The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development has lifted a ban on imports of Portland cement, alumina cement, hydraulic cement and clinker into the country. A three-month ban on such imports began in late April 2021, according to the Trend News Agency. Imported cement must conform to new quality standards introduced by the ministry’s Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee in July 2021.

Peru: Cement production in the 12 months ending on 30 June 2021 was 12.2Mt, up by 43% year-on-year from 8.54Mt in the previous 12 months. Data from the Association of Cement Producers (ASOCEM) shows that local dispatches totalled 11.9Mt, up by 42% from 8.41Mt.

Cement exports recorded a drop, down by 7% to 0.16Mt from 0.17Mt, while clinker exports rose by 44% to 0.52Mt from 0.36Mt. High demand led to an increase in imports to 0.94Mt of cement, up by 59% from 0.59Mt, and 1.41Mt of clinker, almost triple the previous year’s volume of 0.48Mt.

Georgia: HeidelbergCement Georgia plans to invest in additional grinding capacity at both of its cement plants. The subsidiary of Germany-based HeidelbergCement says that it will complete expansion work at both plants by the 2022 production season. It is also contemplating the possibility of clinker capacity expansions.

In early July 2021, Georgia experienced a cement shortage due to the release of pent-up demand from infrastructure projects and reduced imports from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a new investigation into imports of cement, currently subject to safeguarding tariffs of US$0.20/bag. The investigation follows a request by Cemex Philippines, Holcim Philippines and Republic Cement. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that the Vietnam National Cement Association has asked the DTI and the Philippine cement industry to consider whether imports from Vietnam did real damage. In 2020, Vietnam’s export cement prices fell by 15% year-on-year. Its excess production of cement was 36Mt during the year, and its clinker prices were 20% below the regional average.

Georgia: Georgian Cement Company (GCC) has warned of cement dumping by Iran and Turkey. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim is lobbying the government for protective legislation, according to Prime News. GCC operates a 0.3Mt/yr cement grinding plant at Poti. The country consumes 2.5Mt/yr and 1.5Mt/yr of this comprises imports. HeidelbergCement and Eurocement also operate plants locally.

Jordan: The country’s industrial chambers have made a statement saying that most cement plants are charging ‘average’ prices for cement despite recent rises in energy costs due to imported coal and diesel. In a joint statement the group’s said, that although some plants have increased the price of cement, it does not reflect the increase in real cost to producers, according to the Jordan News Agency. The price of cement has reportedly risen by 12% recently.

The industrial chambers noted that the sector is, “keen to stabilise commodity prices locally and maintain their sustainability." It added that it accomplished this in the interests of citizens during the Covid-19 crisis despite the high price of raw materials. The statement also noted that the country has a cement production capacity of 10Mt/yr but the local market only uses 3Mt/yr.

Kuwait: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has banned all export and re-export of cement and other construction materials from Kuwait. However, it has allowed individual citizens to import construction materials for personal use. The ban is part of a raft of a measures intended to stem the increase in building material prices. The Kuwait News Agency has reported that cement prices rose after the resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak in India suspended Indian imports.

The ministry subsidises building materials including cement and concrete. In May 2021 it paid US$45m towards such subsidies. It continues to monitor the cement market and cement production for ‘unlawful’ price rises.

Kuwait’s cement production capacity is 9.0Mt/yr, while 2020 consumption was 6.0Mt.

Cameroon: Two cement trucks masquerading as belonging to a United Nations agency have been seized by customs officials. The smugglers were pretending to be transporting food and pharmaceutical products in transit to Chad, according the Ecofin Agency. The cement is believed to have originated from Nigeria. The operation by customs authorities was part of the ongoing Halcomi (halte au commerce illicite) initiative.

Grenada: The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development has received an application from Grenada for the legalisation of imports of cement from outside of the CARICOM bloc into the country. Nation News has reported that the country is experiencing a cement shortage because Trinidad & Tobago-based Trinidad Cement has suspended exports. The producer reduced its activities because of the on-going Covid-19 outbreak.

Grenada previously sought to import cement from non-CARICOM member countries in 2004 following Hurricane Ivan.

Trinidad and Tobago: Rock Hard Cement says it intends to raise the price of its imported cement in July 2021 due to increasing prices around the world and volatile shipping rates. It added that it expected prices to stabilise in 2022, according to the Trinidad Express newspaper. Cement shortages have been reported at retailers in the country. This has been attributed to local manufacturer Trinidad Cement stopping production in early May 2021 dye to government coronavirus-related health regulations.