In the first half of 2025, Brazilian cement sales reached 32 million tons, an increase of 3.5 % over the same period last year.
The National Cement Industry Association (SNIC) pointed out that the growth was mainly driven by the "My Home, My Life" housing program (MCMV), which contributed more than half of the new housing starts in the first quarter, with sales up 40 % year-on-year, and the employment market remained active, which together boosted demand.
In June, Brazil sold 5.4 million tons, down 1.7 % year-on-year, but in terms of working day shipments, it increased slightly by 0.5 % year-on-year, up 5 % from the average daily level in the first half of 2024, indicating that daily demand remained stable.
Looking forward to the second half of the year, the industry will face multiple obstacles: the shortage of skilled workers, the high benchmark interest rate of 15 % raising financing costs, the large amount of MCMV funds being used to purchase second-hand housing, which weakens the demand for new construction, and the rising cost of building materials eroding project profits.
Meanwhile, consumer and industrial confidence fell in June, household defaults and debt burdens rose, and global economic turmoil and rising prices of raw materials such as petroleum coke further pushed up production costs.
SNIC expects growth to slow in the second half of the year, calling for public policies to stimulate housing construction and lower credit barriers to maintain the industry's vitality.
