Egypt’s cement exports jump 79% in January

CAIRO – 21 March 2018: Egypt’s cement exports increased 79 percent in January 2018, recording $7 million compared to $4 million of the same month in 2017, according to a recent report from the Export Council for Building Materials (ECBM).

This came in light of the recent 194-percent surge in cement exports to the Yemeni market, which amassed $1.3 million in January 2018.

The report pointed out that the Kenyan market received cement from Egypt that amounted to $1.9 million in the first months of 2018, compared to 29,000 in January 2017, with an increase of 6,630 percent.

While in Libya, Egyptian cement rose 69 percent to record $829,000 in late January, compared to $490,000 in January 2017.

Cement exports to Jordan jumped 594 percent in January 2018, reaching $598,000 compared to $86,000 in the same month of 2017.

Moreover, Egyptian exports of cement to South Africa upped 28 percent to record $77,000 compared to $60,000 in January 2017.

On the other hand, cement exports to Saudi Arabia declined 25 percent to amass $891,000 in January 2018, compared to $1.19 million of the same month last year.
Exports to the U.S. also decreased to $467,000, down from $1.2 million in January 2018.

Chairman of Export Council for Building Materials (ECBM)Waleed Gamal el-Din said that the increase in cement exports was obvious in 2017, when $94 million was recorded compared to $63 million in 2016.

With an increase of 49 percent, it was expected that there would be a further increase in cement exports during 2018.

Generally, Egypt ranks number 14 among cement-producing countries, with a production volume of nearly 60 million tons per year.

The Egyptian government issued 14 cement licenses in a tender held by the General Authority for Industrial Development. Three companies won the bid: Egyptian Cement Company in Sohag, al Sewedy Cement Company in Ain Sukhna, and the South Valley Cement Company in Beni Suef.