Data from the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI) shows that growth of cement sales declined to 2.1 percent at 4.7 million ton in May 2013 from 8.6 percent the previous month.
This is said to be the slowest pace of growth in 17 months as consumption outside Java declined, signaling a broader economic slowdown, reports suggest.
During May, cement sales in all regions outside Java and Sulawesi declined. Consumption of cement in Sumatra declined 3 percent to 1.02 million ton from last year. Maluku and Papua posted the biggest decline, consuming just 107,092 tons, down 9.6 percent from last year.
Cement sales in Java rose 5.3 percent to 2.8 million ton while sales in Sulawesi rose 12 percent to 353,476 ton, the data showed. So far this year, Java has accounted for 55 percent of the country’s cement sales.
Cumulatively, cement sales from January to May rose 6.9 percent to 23 million ton compared to the same period last year, industry data shows.