Cement Output Grows

Other key players have also announced plans to significantly raise capacities

Buoyed by improving demand, domestic cement output grew 6.3 per cent to 298 million tonne (MT) in 2017-18, according to credit rating firm Icra. It also said that going by the prevalent trend, the growth momentum is expected to continue in the current financial year and the industry is likely to report a growth of 6 per cent. "In 2017-2018, cement production registered a growth of 6.3 per cent at 298 MT, as compared to 280 MT in 2016-2017, with the bulk of growth reported during the second half of FY'18," Icra said in a report. "This was largely because of better demand in the key markets and the base effect of the demonetisation-driven low demand during the corresponding period of last year," it added. Senior Vice President & Group Head, Icra Ratings, Sabyasachi Majumdar said: We expect the cement demand to show a growth of around 6 per cent in FY 2018-2019. This is primarily driven by a pick-up in the affordable and rural housing segments and infrastructure primarily road and .