Chairman Adnan Ignebekcili told Reuters the industry association expected growth of 8 percent to 10 percent would feed into higher revenues, although profits would lag 2009.
  
"Revenues will rise slightly as prices increase, but costs will increase by a larger amount. Import coal and petrocoke prices have risen 100 percent since the start of the year," he added.

Energy costs amount for more than 50 percent of costs.  "Profits are seen below 2009 figures as a result," he said.  According to TCMA, cement production increased by 13.2 percent in the first four months of 2010, to 18 million tonnes, and domestic sales rose 14.2 percent to 12.7 million tonnes.
  
Turkey's buoyant domestic market had nothing to do with forthcoming elections in 2011, which in the past have triggered a building boom, he said.
  
Ignebekcili said Turkey's cement sector has become Europe's largest and the world's fifth-largest cement producer with 58 million tonnes of output.

"We expect 8-10 percent growth in total production. In that case we will outperform Japan to become the world's 4th largest producer."

Ignebekcili said Turkey, the world's largest cement exporter last year, would likely see total exports this year of at least 18-19 million tonnes. A slight increase in cement exports had
been offset by a 30 percent contraction in clinker exports, however.

Foreign investors could try to enter the attractive Turkish cement sector if strong sales and exports continued. The largest Turkish cement makers were close to reaching expansion limits in Turkey and might eye acquisition opportunities in Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan and Central Asia or
north and west Africa.

Turkey's index of cement stocks <.XTAST> has risen 18.4 percent since the start of 2010, outperforming the Istanbul Stock Exchange's top 100 which has risen around 10 percent.  Major players include Sabanci Holding-owned <SAHOL.IS> Cimsa <CIMSA.IS> and Akcansa <AKCNS.IS>.