Indonesia: Indonesian cement sales growth has fallen to 7.5% at 27.8Mt for the first six months of 2013 from 25.9Mt in the same period in 2012, according to the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI). Year-on-year sales grew by 15% for the January to June period between 2011 and 2012. The deceleration in cement sales is expected to continue in the second half of 2013 due to a reduction in infrastructure development.

Reasons for slower national growth in the first half of 2013 include fewer infrastructure projects, falling commodity prices that have affected development in resource-rich provinces and more frequent rain, according to ASI chairman Widodo Santoso. Sales in Java, the main driver of growth in the first months of 2013, rose by 9.2% to 15.5Mt. Meanwhile, sales outside Java rose by 5.38% to 12.4Mt.

State-owned cement producer PT Semen Indonesia said that the 7.5% growth in nationwide cement sales was still higher than sales growth before 2011. Figures from the ASI showed domestic cement sales rose 14.5% in 2012, 17.7% in 2011, 6% in 2010 and only 0.9% in 2009.