More than 70 Iranian cement companies produced 56.8 and 51.6 million metric tons of clinker and cement respectively during the first 9 months of the current Iranian year (to end March 20), Boursepress reported on Monday. According to the report, some 94 million metric tons of the products were consumed domestically over the period and the remaining 14.5 million metric tons were exported to countries such as Iraq, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Russia. Iraq had the largest share accounting for 51% of exports. The production of clinker over the nine-month period showed a 3.9% increase compared with the similar period last year while cement production declined by 6.2%. Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh has predicted that cement exports will hit 120 million metric tons a year by 2025.
