Domestic cement consumption falls 16.10% in April 2023

In April of this year, the internal consumption of cement fell by 16.10%, compared to the same month in 2022, according to the Current Status of Economic Activity from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI). This is the fourth month of the year that this index has recorded a double-digit drop.

This setback is explained by the lower progress in private and self-construction works, also influenced by the low level of demand and adverse weather factors, which determined the limited development of works in the north of the country, the entity explained.

The fishing sector also contracted 2.57% as a result of the lower extraction of species of maritime origin (-6.60%), that affected the item for direct human consumption (-1.57%).

In the same way, fishing for indirect human consumption (anchovy resource for fishmeal and fish oil) was reduced with an extraction of 6,444 tons, which, compared to the 26,114 tons reported in April 2022, showed a decrease of 75.3%, due to the almost zero progress of the first anchovy fishing season in the southern zone of the coast.

Mining and hydrocarbons sector grew 17.41%

The production of the mining and hydrocarbons sector increased by 17.41%, when comparing it with a similar month in 2022, and it is configured as the highest growth so far this year.

This performance was supported by the higher production volume of copper (31.4%), zinc (31.4%), lead (9.1%), iron (2.9%) and silver (0.2%) ; while the production of molybdenum (-2.9%), gold (-1.4%) and tin (-0.9%) decreased.

Meanwhile, the subsector of hydrocarbons decreased by 0.34%, explained by the lower level of exploitation of natural gas liquids (-5.3%); for its part, the production of natural gas (6.1%) and crude oil (1.6%) grew.

According to preliminary figures, as of May 30, 2023, the production of the electricity subsector in May 2023 increased by 6.13%.