Overall, the value of cement imports declined by -17.9% for all importing countries since 2015 when international purchases of cement were valued at $13 billion. Year over year, globally imported cement fell by -17.3%.
An ingredient of concrete, cement is a binder substance often used in construction because it sets, hardens, adheres and binds other materials together.
From a continental perspective, buyers in Asian countries spent the most on imported cement during 2019 with purchases costing $4.1 billion or 38.8% of the global total. In second place were European importers at 24.8% while 14.7% of cement imported worldwide was delivered to North America ahead of the 12.9% worth sent to African customers. Smaller percentages went to Latin America (5.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (2.3%) led by Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2523 for cement.
Cement Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that bought the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2019.
- United States: US$1.4 billion (13.3% of total imported cement)
- China: $1.2 billion (10.9%)
- Philippines: $543.9 million (5.1%)
- France: $420.6 million (4%)
- Netherlands: $328.4 million (3.1%)
- Bangladesh: $262.2 million (2.5%)
- Israel: $233 million (2.2%)
- Singapore: $216.3 million (2%)
- Australia: $209.5 million (2%)
- Cambodia: $170.8 million (1.6%)
- Germany: $170.7 million (1.6%)
- Hong Kong: $170.1 million (1.6%)
- Italy: $166.3 million (1.6%)
- Belgium: $148.1 million (1.4%)
- India: $128 million (1.2%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for cement since 2015 were: China (up 6,585%), Philippines (up 213.8%), Netherlands (up 70.2%) and India (up 63.9%).
Four countries posted declines in their imported cement purchases: Bangladesh (down -65.2%), Singapore (down -37%), Germany (down -6%) and Hong Kong (down -5.2%).
The listed 15 countries purchased over half (53.9%) of all cement imported in 2019.
USA
Cement Imports into the United States
America’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$1.4 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the U.S. imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Canada: US$545.4 million (up 48.9% from 2015)
- Turkey: $286.4 million (up 610.5%)
- Mexico: $132.4 million (up 182.6%)
- Greece: $121.4 million (up 18.3%)
- China: $73.7 million (down -32.2%)
- South Korea: $47 million (down -36.4%)
- France: $37.8 million (up 14.9%)
- Sweden: $29.3 million (down -24.6%)
- Egypt: $25 million (up 76.9%)
- Taiwan: $23.7 million (down -21.7%)
- Denmark: $23 million (up 10%)
- Spain: $22.6 million (down -29.5%)
- Croatia: $9 million (down -35.4%)
- Colombia: $7.9 million (up 1,106%)
- Poland: $7.5 million (up 3,259%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.2% of cement imported by the United States of America in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to the United States since 2015 were: Poland (up 3,259%), Colombia (up 1,106%), Turkey (up 610.5%) and Mexico (up 182.6%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to American importers included: South Korea (down -36.4%), Croatia (down -35.4%), China (down -32.2%) and Spain (down -29.5%).
Overall, the value of US imported cement rose by an average 50.7% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cement purchased cost $940.5 million.
China
Cement Imports into the People’s Republic of China
China’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$1.2 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Vietnam: US$797.8 million (up 19,944,500% from 2015)
- South Korea: $106 million (up 14,749%)
- Thailand: $85 million (up 8,041%)
- Indonesia: $62 million (up 326,105%)
- United Arab Emirates: $51.9 million (up 2,596,600%)
- Japan: $34.2 million (up 985.4%)
- United States: $4.1 million (up 40.2%)
- Netherlands: $3.7 million (up 35.6%)
- France: $2 million (down -47.7%)
- Pakistan: $1.9 million (up 12806.7%)
- Germany: $1.6 million (up 396%)
- Iran: $1.2 million (no 2015 data)
- China: $1.1 million (up 3775%)
- Malaysia: $576,000 (up 65.5%)
- Croatia: $409,000 (up 15.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of cement imported by China in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to China since 2015 were: Vietnam (up 19,944,500%), United Arab Emirates (up 2,596,600%), Indonesia (up 326,105%) and South Korea (up 14,749%).
France was the only top provider to experienced a decline in the value of its cement supplied to Chinese importers via a -47.7% drop.
Overall, the value of China’s imported cement accelerated by an average 6,585% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cement purchased cost $17.3 million.
Philippines
Cement Imports into Philippines
Philippines’ global purchases of imported cement totaled US$543.9 million in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the Philippines imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Vietnam: US$268.1 million (up 212.8% from 2015)
- Thailand: $79.7 million (up 366.2%)
- China: $51.7 million (up 394.8%)
- Taiwan: $46.4 million (up 359.9%)
- South Korea: $43.3 million (up 50.2%)
- Japan: $32.1 million (up 244.3%)
- Indonesia: $15.6 million (up 61%)
- Malaysia: $4.6 million (up 1,086%)
- United Arab Emirates: $1.9 million (up 80.7%)
- France: $122,000 (up 335.7%)
- Pakistan: $71,000 (no 2015 data)
- Singapore: $66,000 (down -17.5%)
- India: $52,000 (down -86.4%)
- United Kingdom: $50,000 (no 2015 data)
- Egypt: $38,000 (no 2015 data)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.99% of cement imported by Philippines in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to Philippines since 2015 were: Malaysia (up 1,086%), China (up 394.8%), Thailand (up 366.2%) and Taiwan (up 359.9%).
Two major providers experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to Filipino importers: India (down -86.4%) and Singapore (down -17.5%).
Overall, the value of Philippines’s imported cement rose by an average 213.8% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cement purchased cost $173.3 million.
France
Cement Imports into France
France’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$420.6 million in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which France imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Belgium: US$93 million (up 29.6% from 2015)
- Spain: $77 million (down -2.7%)
- Luxembourg: $43.4 million (up 24.5%)
- Germany: $34.2 million (down -15.4%)
- Colombia: $29.5 million (up 3.8%)
- Italy: $26.8 million (up 24.3%)
- Ireland: $25.1 million (up 4,514%)
- Vietnam: $10.6 million (down -42.2%)
- Greece: $9.9 million (up 60.7%)
- Morocco: $9.6 million (up 963,800%)
- Portugal: $8.9 million (up 100.4%)
- Denmark: $7.8 million (up 664%)
- Saudi Arabia: $7.7 million (no 2015 data)
- Turkey: $7.5 million (up 1,150%)
- United Kingdom: $7.4 million (up 16%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 94.7% of cement imported by France in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to France since 2015 were: Morocco (up 963,800%), Ireland (up 4,514%), Turkey (up 1,150%) and Denmark (up 664%).
Three major providers experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to French importers: Vietnam (down -42.2%), Germany (down -15.4%) and Spain (down -2.7%).
Overall, the value of France’s imported cement improved by an average 19.1% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cement purchased cost $353.1 million.
Searchable List of Cement Importer Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2018 data was available.
| Rank | Importer | Cement Imports (US$) | 2018-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $1,417,351,000 | +4.2% |
| 2. | China | $1,154,474,000 | +77% |
| 3. | Philippines | $543,941,000 | +0.6% |
| 4. | France | $420,629,000 | +2.1% |
| 5. | Netherlands | $328,431,000 | -4.4% |
| 6. | Bangladesh | $262,193,000 | -57.4% |
| 7. | Israel | $232,986,000 | -1% |
| 8. | Singapore | $216,254,000 | +10.5% |
| 9. | Australia | $209,490,000 | +0.9% |
| 10. | Cambodia | $170,808,000 | +89.5% |
| 11. | Germany | $170,663,000 | -20.6% |
| 12. | Hong Kong | $170,090,000 | -46.2% |
| 13. | Italy | $166,286,000 | +8.8% |
| 14. | Belgium | $148,147,000 | +9.6% |
| 15. | India | $128,048,000 | -12.1% |
| 16. | Chile | $125,287,000 | -0.2% |
| 17. | Uzbekistan | $124,085,000 | -29.8% |
| 18. | Canada | $123,062,000 | -1.3% |
| 19. | Mali | $122,415,000 | -17.5% |
| 20. | Austria | $121,559,000 | +17.7% |
| 21. | Taiwan | $120,374,000 | +17.4% |
| 22. | Ghana | $110,352,000 | -65.9% |
| 23. | Myanmar (Burma) | $107,890,000 | +91.5% |
| 24. | Poland | $105,331,000 | +24.6% |
| 25. | Sri Lanka | $103,123,000 | -56.7% |
| 26. | Hungary | $99,827,000 | +11.0% |
| 27. | Peru | $97,507,000 | -12.7% |
| 28. | Malaysia | $86,965,000 | -1.7% |
| 29. | Mozambique | $84,949,000 | +27.8% |
| 30. | Burkina Faso | $81,675,000 | -35.7% |
| 31. | Ivory Coast | $81,387,000 | -52.7% |
| 32. | Russia | $81,137,000 | -6.2% |
| 33. | Thailand | $79,698,000 | +19.1% |
| 34. | United Kingdom | $71,502,000 | -31.5% |
| 35. | Spain | $71,344,000 | +61.3% |
| 36. | Laos | $68,594,000 | -35.6% |
| 37. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $67,341,000 | -24.2% |
| 38. | Cameroon | $66,787,000 | -8.8% |
| 39. | South Africa | $66,432,000 | +18.5% |
| 40. | Guatemala | $64,171,000 | +46% |
| 41. | Sweden | $64,019,000 | +6.3% |
| 42. | Switzerland | $61,209,000 | -16.9% |
| 43. | Madagascar | $60,595,000 | +4.2% |
| 44. | Norway | $57,611,000 | -7.7% |
| 45. | Slovakia | $56,358,000 | -6.2% |
| 46. | Botswana | $56,031,000 | +8.4% |
| 47. | Czech Republic | $55,295,000 | -7.7% |
| 48. | Lesotho | $51,610,000 | +152.6% |
| 49. | Portugal | $50,823,000 | -12.6% |
| 50. | Guinea | $49,135,000 | +2.5% |
| 51. | Mauritius | $49,070,000 | +33.7% |
| 52. | Romania | $48,087,000 | +36.6% |
| 53. | Brazil | $45,152,000 | -4.6% |
| 54. | Kazakhstan | $44,297,000 | -9.3% |
| 55. | Denmark | $42,658,000 | -1.4% |
| 56. | Niger | $42,145,000 | -57.2% |
| 57. | Colombia | $41,083,000 | -22.8% |
| 58. | Nepal | $40,773,000 | -71.2% |
| 59. | South Korea | $38,349,000 | -10.4% |
| 60. | Jordan | $38,063,000 | -31.5% |
| 61. | Georgia | $38,020,000 | -50.1% |
| 62. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $37,937,000 | +0.2% |
| 63. | Syria | $36,392,000 | -9.5% |
| 64. | Croatia | $36,077,000 | +6.9% |
| 65. | Benin | $35,890,000 | -6.4% |
| 66. | El Salvador | $35,288,000 | +52.7% |
| 67. | Japan | $33,634,000 | -5.1% |
| 68. | Yemen | $32,043,000 | -80.8% |
| 69. | Slovenia | $31,800,000 | +0.3% |
| 70. | Serbia | $31,346,000 | -1.1% |
| 71. | Malta | $29,868,000 | +17.8% |
| 72. | Ukraine | $28,287,000 | -32.1% |
| 73. | Armenia | $27,432,000 | +3.9% |
| 74. | Togo | $27,386,000 | -30.6% |
| 75. | Eswatini | $27,273,000 | -5.6% |
| 76. | Bahrain | $27,249,000 | -74.7% |
| 77. | Montenegro | $27,145,000 | -56.5% |
| 78. | Kuwait | $27,070,000 | -83.5% |
| 79. | Afghanistan | $26,112,000 | 0% |
| 80. | Bulgaria | $25,820,000 | +5.4% |
| 81. | Paraguay | $25,753,000 | +6.8% |
| 82. | Gambia | $25,617,000 | +80.9% |
| 83. | Nicaragua | $25,375,000 | -46.7% |
| 84. | Senegal | $25,263,000 | -8.9% |
| 85. | Mauritania | $24,777,000 | -45.2% |
| 86. | Belarus | $24,643,000 | -15.4% |
| 87. | Kenya | $23,566,000 | -75.9% |
| 88. | Morocco | $22,069,000 | +51.6% |
| 89. | Greece | $21,345,000 | +7.6% |
| 90. | Guyana | $20,777,000 | -49.3% |
| 91. | Malawi | $20,473,000 | -47.6% |
| 92. | Saudi Arabia | $20,239,000 | -26.4% |
| 93. | Haiti | $20,172,000 | -76.7% |
| 94. | Mexico | $18,819,000 | -35.5% |
| 95. | Gabon | $18,187,000 | +62.8% |
| 96. | Iceland | $17,918,000 | -13.4% |
| 97. | Vietnam | $17,907,000 | -29.4% |
| 98. | Burundi | $17,550,000 | -11% |
| 99. | North Macedonia | $16,965,000 | +4.3% |
| 100. | Sierra Leone | $16,782,000 | -59.0% |
| 101. | Macao | $16,617,000 | 0% |
| 102. | Zimbabwe | $15,697,000 | +187.1% |
| 103. | Lithuania | $15,659,000 | -12% |
| 104. | Ireland | $15,538,000 | -16.9% |
| 105. | Kyrgyzstan | $14,487,000 | -2.3% |
| 106. | Cabo Verde | $14,308,000 | -33% |
| 107. | Latvia | $13,038,000 | -9.3% |
| 108. | Iraq | $12,988,000 | -86.7% |
| 109. | Belize | $12,680,000 | -3.6% |
| 110. | Luxembourg | $11,929,000 | -3.6% |
| 111. | Costa Rica | $11,656,000 | +17.2% |
| 112. | Estonia | $11,650,000 | +5.3% |
| 113. | Albania | $11,508,000 | +164,300% |
| 114. | Argentina | $11,138,000 | -74.1% |
| 115. | Maldives | $10,781,000 | -74.6% |
| 116. | Honduras | $10,410,000 | -25.6% |
| 117. | United Arab Emirates | $10,360,000 | -44% |
| 118. | Bahamas | $10,050,000 | -53.2% |
| 119. | Dominican Republic | $9,903,000 | -51.1% |
| 120. | Liberia | $9,500,000 | -44.2% |
| 121. | North Korea | $9,418,000 | +30.4% |
| 122. | New Zealand | $8,961,000 | -21.7% |
| 123. | Brunei Darussalam | $8,762,000 | -71.2% |
| 124. | Azerbaijan | $8,724,000 | -11% |
| 125. | Angola | $8,409,000 | -61.8% |
| 126. | Uganda | $8,286,000 | -91.5% |
| 127. | Bolivia | $7,914,000 | -60.5% |
| 128. | Guinea-Bissau | $7,200,000 | -15% |
| 129. | Turkey | $6,861,000 | +0.4% |
| 130. | Aruba | $6,706,000 | +7.3% |
| 131. | Egypt | $6,445,000 | -37.2% |
| 132. | Tanzania | $6,304,000 | -63.1% |
| 133. | Libya | $6,235,000 | -82.1% |
| 134. | Panama | $6,232,000 | -29.8% |
| 135. | Papua New Guinea | $6,020,000 | -38.9% |
| 136. | Bhutan | $5,648,000 | +67.7% |
| 137. | Uruguay | $5,043,000 | -24.6% |
| 138. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $4,965,000 | +76.9% |
| 139. | Algeria | $4,660,000 | -39.1% |
| 140. | Nigeria | $4,584,000 | -21.1% |
| 141. | US Minor Outlying Is | $4,554,000 | +10.9% |
| 142. | Antigua/Barbuda | $4,089,000 | -26.3% |
| 143. | Fiji | $3,957,000 | -63.2% |
| 144. | Samoa | $3,820,000 | -35.7% |
| 145. | Andorra | $3,725,000 | +1.9% |
| 146. | Barbados | $3,577,000 | +3.1% |
| 147. | Ecuador | $3,546,000 | -5.2% |
| 148. | Suriname | $3,086,000 | -72.7% |
| 149. | New Caledonia | $2,984,000 | -0.6% |
| 150. | Gibraltar | $2,760,000 | -11.2% |
| 151. | Trinidad/Tobago | $2,553,000 | -42.7% |
| 152. | French Polynesia | $2,533,000 | -55% |
| 153. | British Virgin Islands | $2,463,000 | -13.6% |
| 154. | Tajikistan | $2,418,000 | -48.7% |
| 155. | Micronesia | $2,393,000 | -10.4% |
| 156. | Mongolia | $2,247,000 | +10.5% |
| 157. | Indonesia | $2,157,000 | -38.8% |
| 158. | Palau | $2,077,000 | +128% |
| 159. | Comoros | $1,979,000 | -68.7% |
| 160. | Finland | $1,977,000 | -69.1% |
| 161. | Equatorial Guinea | $1,956,000 | -82.5% |
| 162. | Solomon Islands | $1,927,000 | -61.1% |
| 163. | Bermuda | $1,724,000 | -20.3% |
| 164. | Tunisia | $1,467,000 | -16.9% |
| 165. | Vanuatu | $1,460,000 | -24.2% |
| 166. | Djibouti | $1,451,000 | -39.1% |
| 167. | Seychelles | $1,347,000 | -88.3% |
| 168. | Turkmenistan | $1,147,000 | -77.9% |
| 169. | Cyprus | $1,127,000 | -51.4% |
| 170. | Turks/Caicos Islands | $1,115,000 | -54.7% |
| 171. | Grenada | $1,091,000 | +178.3% |
| 172. | Tonga | $1,070,000 | -44.9% |
| 173. | Northern Mariana Is | $1,025,000 | +3.4% |
| 174. | Jamaica | $879,000 | -94.6% |
| 175. | Venezuela | $827,000 | -61.3% |
| 176. | Qatar | $785,000 | -95.6% |
| 177. | Congo | $614,000 | -69.3% |
| 178. | Timor-Leste | $605,000 | -95.8% |
| 179. | Saint Lucia | $601,000 | -49.6% |
| 180. | Marshall Islands | $595,000 | -66.3% |
| 181. | Zambia | $594,000 | -83.4% |
| 182. | Iran | $594,000 | -85.8% |
| 183. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $568,000 | -88.9% |
| 184. | Moldova | $556,000 | -79.5% |
| 185. | Sao Tome/Principe | $509,000 | -84.6% |
| 186. | Cuba | $496,000 | -48.3% |
| 187. | Curaçao | $443,000 | -43.2% |
| 188. | Cayman Islands | $406,000 | -77.3% |
| 189. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $340,000 | +21% |
| 190. | Pakistan | $251,000 | -98% |
| 191. | Cook Islands | $218,000 | +17.2% |
| 192. | Wallis/Futuna Islands | $194,000 | -50.8% |
| 193. | Namibia | $190,000 | -97.3% |
| 194. | Ethiopia | $141,000 | -71.5% |
| 195. | Chad | $127,000 | -88.2% |
| 196. | Dominica | $120,000 | -82% |
| 197. | Saint Helena | $115,000 | -19.0% |
| 198. | Greenland | $100,000 | -93.4% |
| 199. | Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba | $98,000 | +226.7% |
| 200. | St. Pierre/Miquelon | $92,000 | +2,200% |
| 201. | Somalia | $92,000 | -99.7% |
| 202. | Oman | $90,000 | -100% |
| 203. | Kiribati | $86,000 | -91.8% |
| 204. | Nauru | $84,000 | -62.7% |
| 205. | Montserrat | $81,000 | -72.9% |
| 206. | Sudan | $62,000 | -99.3% |
| 207. | St Maarten (Dutch) | $60,000 | -76.2% |
| 208. | Lebanon | $49,000 | -27.9% |
| 209. | Niue | $42,000 | -39.1% |
| 210. | Rwanda | $28,000 | -99.9% |
| 211. | Cocos (Keeling) Is | $28,000 | +300% |
| 212. | South Sudan | $24,000 | -99.7% |
| 213. | Norfolk Island | $21,000 | +31.3% |
| 214. | Anguilla | $18,000 | -95.4% |
| 215. | Faroe Islands | $17,000 | -39.3% |
| 216. | Christmas Island | $11,000 | -73.2% |
| 217. | Central African Republic | $7,000 | -99.8% |
| 218. | Tuvalu | $7,000 | -99.9% |
See also Cement Exports by Country, America’s Top Trading Partners and Sri Lanka’s Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on May 14, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 14, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 14, 2020
Wikipedia, Cement. Accessed on May 14, 2020
