The Legislative Assembly approved in second debate a bill that aims to tax in the country the sale and self-consumption of imported or locally produced cement.
The initiative, which was approved in the first debate in the Assembly in mid-February and is still pending approval by the Executive Branch, establishes that the tax will be on imported cement produced nationally, in bags or in bulk, for sale or self-consumption, of any kind, whose destination is the consumption and marketing of the product nationally.
During the first quarter of 2019, Central American companies imported hydraulic cement for $47 million, and purchases from companies in Vietnam increased 155% over the same period in 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In April, Ultracem Guatemala, a Colombian company dedicated to the import and distribution of finished cement packed in sacks, began operating.
Executives of the company explained that for the start-up of the company in the country have invested about $1.2 million, and that the warehouses for storage and packaging are located in Puerto Barrios, Izabal.
With the entry into force of 122-2019 Agreement, the application of the specific tax, the customs information corresponding to cement or clinker imports and the appointment of personnel to supervise storage places is regulated.
Since the 122-2019 Governmental Agreement was published in the Diario de Centro América on July 25, 2019, the regulations have become effective in the country. See full publication.
During the first nine months of 2018, Central American companies imported hydraulic cement for $110 million, and purchases from Mexico doubled compared to the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
The new Cementos Progreso plant, in San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, will be in a test phase throughout 2019 and is expected to begin operations in 2020.
Representatives of the company reported that the installed capacity will be 4,500 tons of clinker per day, equivalent to 320 tons of cement per hour, about 400 trucks per day.
During the first six months of 2018, Central American companies imported hydraulic cement for $77 million, and purchases from China increased 42% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first three months of 2018, countries in Central America imported $36 million worth of hydraulic cement, 9% more than was purchased in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Information System on the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first nine months of 2017, countries in the region imported $110 million worth of hydraulic cement, 38% more than was purchased in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
In Guatemala, a tender is being launched for the installation of an electric generation plant and the placement of concrete mix in the Xejuyup adventure park.
Businessmen in the sector assert that the country reports one of the lowest levels of cement consumption in the Latin American region.
The current level of cementproduction in Guatemala reflects the low levels of public investment in recent years in the country. Lack of investment by the State in roads and other public infrastructure works is compounded by instability generated by foreign investment in the legal conflicts that have arisen in recent years, such as closure of mining projects and political and economic problems related to corruption."..."Conflict is an additional factor that slows development and investment, and therefore the consumption of cement," said Oscar Sequeira, coordinator of the Statistics Commission of the Guatemalan Chamber of Construction. "
In the last year, 56 environmental impact studies were presented for the construction of industrial plants in Central American countries.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private constructionprojects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions in each country.
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