Why Does Haiti Import Cement When Haiti Is Rich In Limestone?

Over the weekend I visited a Dominican man in Hato Viejo (Haitians call it Atobio) near Banica in the Dominican Republic and he told me he could not understand why Haiti is importing Cement when the country is so rich in limestone, the key ingredient in the manufacture of Portland Cement.

After thanking him for the 'cerveza' I could not stop thinking about what he said. Why does Haiti import cement?

So I did a little research...

Did you know? The Dominican Republic has six (6) integrated cement plants, Cementos Colón, Cementos Cibao, CEMEX, DOMICEM, Cementos Andino, and Santo Domingo, pumping cement to their local market and exporting about 1 million tons of cement annually.

Guess who is the #1 marketplace for Dominican cement export...

YEP... Haiti Cherie...

DOMICEM alone claims to export 300,000 tons of cement to Haiti and other Caribbean islands.

What about cement manufacturing in Haiti?

Global Cement Magazine released an article in August 2012 stating that "Although Haiti is blessed with natural limestone, a lack of cement production capacity and poor infrastructure prevent much of it from being converted into cement domestically..."

Haiti is open for BUSINESS right?

Sounds to me like we need a serious investor in limestone mining and cement manufacturing in Haiti... Great opportunity here...

If there is any cement tagged as 'made in Haiti', the clinker (the nodule produced by sintering limestone and clay during the cement kiln stage) is actually imported to Haiti to make the final product. In other words, the limestone in Haiti is not being used at all to manufacture cement.

So Haiti is rich in limestone, Haiti is under construction, and Haiti is not producing its own cement which would greatly reduce building costs and boost infrastructure development.

What do you think about that?

Reply with your comments

In case you are interested, read the articles from the Business year, Global Cement, Cemnet and "Du ciment comme des oeufs" from Le Nouveliste

Write a comment  (14)

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All Comments (14)

Guy Leblond says...

Hello,
I see a message in January 2016 that you have a lime mine available for lease.

Is it still true?

Could you tell me approximately where this mine is located?

We are interested in buying

Reply  ... More

Robby Saint-cyr says...

Hello my friend.

I was just reading about your comments about the natural resources and cement production situation in Haiti.

Thanks for your contributing effort and for taking the time to write this article and your comments.

Reply  ... More

Afubaa says...

How difficult is it to do business in

Reply  ... More

Afubaa says...

How difficult is to acquire a in Haiti?

What are the outstanding needs of the Haitian people?

What are the security concerns in Haiti?

What is the unemployment rate?

What Are the infrastrure needs in haiti?

What is the level ducational in

Reply  ... More

Paul Bance says...

Haiti needs geologists and geophysicists to discover his natural resources and to turn them into

Reply  ... More

Ed says...

Does Haiti produce Hydraulic lime?

Thanks,

Can be reach at

Reply  ... More

Bob Gillette says...

We have a mine available for lease, just scoop it up and load it on a truck.

No need to go underground.

We also have customers who want to buy the lime, so you don't need to invest in a cement factory.

Contact me directly to discuss.

Reply  ... More

Luc Jasmin says...

The Haitian gouvernent is too busy fighting over power and ad hock programs to see Haiti's infrastructure needs and to Create employment durable for the people.

As long as the rich can order cement from next door and make a couple of dollars a sack they don't care about people working or not.
That only demonstrate poor

Reply  ... More

David says...

Haiti is still producing cement but it still imports its

Reply  ... More

Cement Manufacturing Comp says...

Yes Sonia You Are True And Do You have Some Suggestion How to Improve those Government

Reply  ... More

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