Afghanistan: Construction work on the second phase of the Jabal Saraj cement plant in central Parwan province began on 9 July 2026. The plant will have a production capacity of 1.8Mt/yr of cement, according to Amu news. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the governor of Parwan and other officials.

Abdul Salam Hanafi said "If this plant is completed successfully, we hope it will meet the country's domestic demand for cement and may even create the capacity to export cement to other countries."

Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi said increased domestic production would help lower cement prices and contribute to greater stability in Afghanistan’s construction sector. All financial and technical aspects of the project are reportedly being funded and implemented by state-run company National Development Corporation. According to the company, all stages of production, including clinker production, will be carried out at the plant.

The plant began operations in 1958, but has been marked by repeated shutdowns due to conflict, aging machinery and weak infrastructure. In 2018, the former government’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced plans to put the construction of a second phase out to tender. At the time, the investment was expected to be US$170m, with a capacity of 1Mt/yr of cement, but this was not completed before the collapse of the government in August 2021. In 2023, a contract for the first phase of the project was signed with a Qatar-based company for a reported investment of US$220m. Officials have not explained how the newly announced second phase relates operationally or financially to the earlier agreement. It has also not been disclosed whether the 5000t/day capacity refers to the second phase or to the projected capacity of the expanded plant.

Brazil: Cement sales rose by 2% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, reaching 32.9Mt, according to the cement industry association SNIC. In June 2026, 5.8Mt were sold, representing a 8% year-on-year increase. The positive results were reportedly driven by a robust labour market, with unemployment closing the quarter at the lowest rate since 2012, at 6%. However, the price of petcoke saw increases of around 30% so far in 2026, along with increases in diesel prices driving up road freight costs. A potential shift to a 40-hour week for the cement sector is estimated to raise labour costs by approximately 15%, from standard 24/7 operations. Industrial confidence improved, reflecting the easing of Middle East conflicts and the stabilisation of international oil prices. However, the construction sector showed ‘signs of pessimism’, weighed down by rising costs, slowing activity, and a ‘severe’ shortage of skilled labour.

José Eduardo Ramos, chair of the board of SNIC, said “The sector closes the first half of the year with a positive performance. Declining unemployment and a total wage bill at historic levels were key factors in this outcome. Housing - particularly the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program - combined with the acceleration of rigid-pavement road projects and concrete roadways, played a decisive role in our growth. The economic landscape calls for caution: rising inflation, upward revisions to interest rate (Selic) projections, and record levels of household debt continue to severely constrain credit capacity and consumer spending. Nevertheless, the sector maintains its outlook of ending the year with growth of close to 2%.”

Fiji: Pacific Cement has proposed a US$15.6m upgrade project for its plant in Lami, which reportedly includes a new cement mill, two new silos and a packing plant, according to local press. However, residents have expressed concern regarding potential impacts on the environment. At the first environmental impact assessment public consultation in Lami, CEO Josua Satavu said that the new mill would be more environmentally friendly and that commissioning was anticipated for October 2027. In response to environmental concerns regarding clinker dust and water quality, Satavu said that the company would mitigate ‘what [it] can,’ but that the mill upgrade would resolve many of the concerns raised. The proposed mill would have a production capacity of 1000t/hr at full capacity. Based on an initial questionnaire, 77% of residents agreed with the development.

Peru: National shipments totalled 1.1Mt in June 2026, registering an increase of 12% year-on-year and 11% in the accumulated 12 months. Cement production reached 1Mt, representing an increase of 11% year-on-year and 10% in the accumulated 12 months. 0.6Mt of clinker was produced, representing a decrease of 29% compared to June 2025 and 0.7% in the accumulated 12 months.

As for exports, 12,820t of cement was exported in June 2026, representing an increase of 7% compared to June 2025 and 6% in the accumulated 12 months. 62,747t of clinker was exported, representing a decrease of 36% compared to June 2026 and 28% in the accumulated 12 months. 12,014t of cement was imported, an 83% increase from June 2025 and an 18% increase in the accumulated 12 months. 74% of imports came from Chile via the Tacna land terminal and 26% came via the Port of Matarani from Vietnam. 72,250t of clinker was imported, equivalent to a year-on-year decrease of 33% and a 14% increase in the accumulated 12 months. 61% of imports via the Port of Callao and 39% came via the Port of Matarani, both from South Korea.