ISLAMABAD: According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local cement sales for February 2025 reached 3.065 million tons, a notable increase of 6.82% compared to 2.869 million tons in the same month last year. Despite a positive momentum in January 2025, which saw a month-over-month (MoM) rise of 11.64%, February did not see the anticipated further growth.
Export despatches witnessed a significant jump of 34.30%, with volumes rising from 395,935 tons in February 2024 to 531,736 tons in February 2025. As a result, total cement despatches in February 2025 increased to 3.596 million tons, up 10.15% from 3.265 million tons in the same period last year.
Cement mills in the North despatched 2.556 million tons in February 2025, marking a 5.06% rise from the 2.433 million tons in February 2024. South-based mills saw even higher growth in domestic sales, with despatches reaching 1.04 million tons, a 25.04% increase compared to 0.831 million tons in the previous year. However, exports from North-based mills dropped significantly, falling by 47.82%, from 95,393 tons in February 2024 to 49,780 tons in February 2025. On the other hand, exports from the South soared by 60.36%, reaching 481,956 tons from 300,542 tons.
For the first eight months of FY25, total cement despatches (both domestic and export) reached 30.423 million tons, a slight decrease of 0.45% from 30.560 million tons during the same period last year. Domestic sales were down by 6%, with 24.5 million tons despatched compared to 26.06 million tons in the previous year. However, exports saw a sharp increase of 31.78%, rising to 5.924 million tons from 4.495 million tons.
North-based mills despatched 20.36 million tons domestically, a 5.28% decrease compared to the 21.49 million tons in the previous year. Exports from the North increased by 20.42%, reaching 1.101 million tons. Overall, North-based mills saw a reduction of 4.23% in total despatches, dropping to 21.462 million tons.
Meanwhile, South-based mills delivered 4.139 million tons domestically, marking a 9.42% decrease from the previous year, while exports from the region jumped by 34.68%, reaching 4.822 million tons. The total despatches from South-based mills rose by 9.96%, amounting to 8.962 million tons in the current fiscal year.
A spokesman for APCMA expressed hope that the government would introduce industry-friendly policies in the upcoming budget, aiming to boost cement sector capacity utilization. Cement production plays a crucial role in the broader economic growth of Pakistan, supporting various allied industries.
