Algeria: cement import volumes grew 28% y/y in January – August 2014

Local press, drawing on statistics published by the Customs Information and Statistics Centre (CNIS), have reported that cement import volumes totalled approximately 4 million t in January – August 2014. This is around 28% higher than in the same period last year. The value of imports also increased, rising by 31% y/y to US$373.5 million.

Algeria currently imports cement to meet national demand, which is some 5 million tpa above the 18 million tpa produced by the country’s domestic cement industry. However, investment in new plants and expansion projects means that domestic output is expected to increase to 29 million tpa by 2018.

Algeria spent US$2.25 billion on building materials imports in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 7% y/y. Together, cement, rebar and wood import volumes came in at 7.1 million t. This compares to 6.3 million t in January – August 2013.

In other news, Abdelmadjid Tebbourne, Minister of Housing, Town Planning and the City, has announced plans to increase the country’s building capacity from 80 000 housing units pa to 120 000 pa as part of the next 5-year development plan. In addition to closing the supply-demand gap, the plan aims to modernise the housing sector through the use of new technologies.

Edited from various sources by Louise Fordham

Sources:

• Algeria Press Service.
• The Brazil-Arab News Agency.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/africa-middle-east/01102014/cement-imports-into-algeria-increase-585/