ISLAMABAD: Cement sales in Pakistan rose by 5.58% in November 2024, with total dispatches reaching 4.146 million tons compared to 3.927 million tons during the same month last fiscal year, according to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA). The growth was underpinned by steady domestic sales and a strong surge in exports.
Domestic cement sales increased slightly by 2.39%, with 3.342 million tons dispatched compared to 3.264 million tons in November 2023. Export dispatches, however, recorded a significant rise of 21.27%, increasing from 662,374 tons in November 2023 to 803,258 tons in November 2024.
North-based cement mills dispatched 2.925 million tons in November 2024, a 2.01% rise from 2.867 million tons in November 2023. Domestic dispatches from these mills reached 2.757 million tons, showing an increase of 1.23% compared to 2.723 million tons in the previous year. Exports from the northern region also rose by 16.90%, with dispatches growing from 143,942 tons in November 2023 to 168,265 tons in November 2024.
South-based mills recorded an even stronger performance, with total dispatches climbing by 15.21% to 1.220 million tons in November 2024 from 1.060 million tons during the same month last year. Domestic sales from the southern region rose by 8.24% to 585,689 tons, while exports surged by 22.48%, reaching 634,993 tons compared to 518,432 tons in November 2023.
For the first five months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches, including domestic and export sales, declined by 5.24%, falling to 18.779 million tons from 19.818 million tons in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. Domestic dispatches dropped by 11.61% to 14.752 million tons from 16.690 million tons during the same period last year. In contrast, export dispatches grew substantially by 28.73%, increasing to 4.027 million tons compared to 3.128 million tons during the same period of the previous year.
North-based mills reported a decline in total dispatches during the first five months of the fiscal year, falling by 8.62% to 13.278 million tons from 14.531 million tons in the same period last year. Domestic sales in the northern region dropped by 10.39%, while exports rose by 26.47% to 878,324 tons.
South-based mills saw domestic sales decline sharply by 17.55% to 2.353 million tons from 2.853 million tons during the same period last year. However, exports from the southern region increased by 29.38%, reaching 3.148 million tons. Overall, total dispatches from the southern region rose by 4.05% to 5.501 million tons during the first five months of the fiscal year.
An APCMA spokesperson commented on the industry’s potential for growth, emphasizing the need for government intervention to reduce duties and taxes. This, the spokesperson stated, would lower costs for end consumers, boost demand, and enable the sector to utilize its idle capacity.
