ISLAMABAD: In October 2024, total cement dispatches reached 4.357 million tons, marking an impressive increase of 8.74% from 4.006 million tons in the same month of the previous fiscal year. This growth was primarily driven by robust export activity, even as local dispatches experienced a minor downturn.
According to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, local dispatches for October 2024 totaled 3.276 million tons, down from 3.292 million tons in October 2023—a decline of 0.49%. In contrast, exports soared by 51.29%, climbing from 714,325 tons in October 2023 to 1,080,691 tons in October 2024.
Regionally, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.982 million tons in October 2024, reflecting a 2.76% increase from 2.902 million tons in October 2023. Meanwhile, South-based mills reported a substantial increase of 24.46%, dispatching 1.374 million tons compared to 1.104 million tons in the same month last year.
In terms of local markets, North mills reported nearly flat growth with 2.779 million tons dispatched, compared to 2.780 million tons in October 2023. However, South mills saw a 3.06% decrease, dispatching 496,626 tons down from 512,320 tons in the same month last year.
Export figures also demonstrated notable growth: North mills increased exports by 65.83%, from 122,326 tons in October 2023 to 202,858 tons in October 2024. South mills reported a 48.28% rise in exports, reaching 877,833 tons compared to 591,999 tons the previous year.
Over the first four months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) stood at 14.633 million tons, down 7.92% from 15.891 million tons during the same period last year. Domestic dispatches decreased by 15.02% to 11.410 million tons, while export volumes rose by 30.74% to 3.223 million tons, compared to 2.466 million tons during the previous fiscal year.
For North-based mills, domestic dispatches fell by 13.23% to 9.643 million tons, although exports rose by 28.95% to 709,959 tons. Total dispatches from North mills decreased by 11.24% to 10.353 million tons. Conversely, South-based mills reported domestic dispatches of 1.767 million tons—a 23.59% decline—while exports surged by 31.25% to 2.513 million tons. Overall, total dispatches from South mills rose slightly by 1.25% to 4.280 million tons during the first four months of the fiscal year.
