Argentina cement shipments hit 20-year low for August

Argentina's construction industry is facing a deepening crisis, with cement shipments in August recording their lowest level for that month in 20 years. According to data from the Asociación de Fabricantes de Cemento Portland (AFCP), shipments reached 817,082 tons, marking the fifth consecutive year-on-year decline.

This August performance is lower than the levels seen in 2020 during the initial COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The year-on-year decrease for August was 8.1%. For the first eight months of the year, total shipments accumulated 6,315,031 tons, representing a 4.2% decline compared to the same period last year.

Specific market segments also showed contraction. Domestic market shipments fell by 8% year-on-year, while exports dropped by 25.9% compared to the same month in the previous year. Additionally, imports saw a 26.2% decrease, falling from 298 to 220 tons.