The Argentine cement market showed obvious signs of recovery in March 2026. According to data released by the Argentine Cement Association (AFCP), national cement consumption reached 825900 tons in the month, an increase of 11.6% over the same period last year, indicating that construction activity is accelerating its recovery after a downturn at the beginning of the year. It is noteworthy that imported cement has become an important source of demand growth, with imports surging to 198,000 tons in March, up 224.6% year-on-year, reflecting the rapid rebound in domestic production capacity that is difficult to fully match demand in the short term. At the same time, the domestic production side also actively followed up, the monthly output increased by 11% to 830100 tons, basically covering the domestic market demand. However, the export business remained under pressure, with exports of only 4373 tons in March, down 43.9% year-on-year, indicating that manufacturers are giving priority to domestic supply or that international market demand continues to be weak.
The observation period was extended to the first quarter of 2026, and the market trend was relatively stable. Cumulative cement consumption in the first three months was 2.3105 million tons, a slight increase of 0.1% over the same period last year, almost the same as the same period last year, indicating that the decline in the first two months of the year had been repaired at the end of the first quarter. Imports showed a dramatic reversal, with a cumulative import volume of only 198000 tons in the first quarter, a sharp drop of 68% compared with the same period last year, which is in sharp contrast to the surge in imports in March, suggesting that there may be an unusually high import base or hoarding behavior in the first quarter of last year. In terms of output, the total domestic output in the first quarter was 2.3238 million tons, a slight decrease of 0.3% compared with the same period last year. Combined with the flat trend of consumption, it shows that the market supply and demand are basically balanced. Exports continued to decline, with a cumulative export of 13,500 tons in the first quarter, a year-on-year decline of 46%, a new low in the same period in recent years, highlighting the continued weakening of the competitiveness of Argentine cement in the international market.
浙公网安备33010802003254号