Vietnam expects cement consumption of 74 mln tonnes in 2016

Hanoi (VNA) – Around 74-75 million tonnes of cement are expected to be sold in 2016, three million tonnes higher than that of 2015.

This year, no new production supply chains will be put into operation, as the capacity of current chains will still meet demands.

According to Le Van Toi, Head of the Building Materials Department under the Ministry of Construction, the total output of cement will rise in 2016, as a production chain of the Cong Thanh Cement Group increased its capacity by 3.6 million tonnes of cement in late 2015.

Last year, two cement projects were put into operation, raising the number of production chains to 76 with total designed capacity of 81.5 million tonnes.

Over 72 million tonnes of cement are estimated to be sold in the year, up 3 percent from that of 2014.

Some 16.25 million tonnes were shipped abroad, down 17.3 percent year-on-year, but domestic consumption rose by 11.1 percent to 56.5 million tonnes.-VNA