In December 2023, cement sales in Pakistan experienced a notable uptick of 4.6% compared to the same period the previous year, as reported by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association. The industry dispatched a total of 4.06 million tons during the month, showcasing a significant increase from the 3.881 million tons dispatched in December of the last fiscal year.
Local cement despatches by the industry witnessed a slight cement sales decline of 3.81%, totaling 3.536 million tons in December 2023 compared to 3.676 million tons in December 2022. Despite this, there was a remarkable surge of 155.85% in export despatches, with volumes escalating from 205,061 tons in December 2022 to 524,656 tons in December 2023.
In December 2023, North-based cement mills maintained nearly flat growth, despatching 3.012 million tons, while south-based mills experienced a robust 20.50% increase, reaching 1.048 million tons. The domestic market saw a modest decline of 0.69% in North-based cement despatches, while South-based mills faced a 16.62% reduction in local market despatches.
Export figures revealed a 39.58% increase from North-based mills and an impressive 197.87% surge from the South, contributing to the overall growth in the cement industry. Over the first six months of the current fiscal year, total cement despatches, including both domestic and exports, reached 23.876 million tons, reflecting a 9.71% increase from the corresponding period in the previous fiscal year.
Despite a marginal 0.97% rise in domestic despatches during this period, export despatches skyrocketed by 110.66%, totaling 3.653 million tons compared to 1.734 million tons in the same period last year. North-based mills dominated the market by despatching 16.772 million tons domestically and exporting 771,173 tons, showcasing increases of 1.52% and 33.40%, respectively.
South-based mills faced a slight reduction of 1.62% in domestic despatches but saw a substantial 149.29% surge in exports, totaling 2.882 million tons. This contributed to an overall increase of 35.79% in total despatches for South-based mills during the first six months of the current financial year.
Amidst these developments, a spokesperson for the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association expressed concerns over negative growth in domestic despatches over the past four months. The industry remains optimistic about increased cement demand through the acceleration of PSDP projects, while also addressing operational challenges related to the new Axle Load regime and Track and Trace system. Positive responses from concerned authorities are anticipated to resolve these issues soon.
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