LAHORE: Local cement sales in Pakistan increased by 9 percent to 3.433 million tonnes compared to the same period last year, indicating an uptick in construction and infrastructure activities in the country.
After a long sluggish spell, the cement sector has rebounded with over a 19 percent growth in total cement dispatches compared to the previous year. Total dispatches during May 2023 were 3.966 million tonnes, against 3.321 million tonnes dispatched during the same month of the last fiscal year, according to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association. Exports dispatches in May 2023 increased by a record 210.13 percent as the volumes rose to 533,155 tonnes from 171,915 tonnes recorded in May 2022. In May 2023, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.880 million tonnes of cement, showing an increase of 8.85 percent compared to 2.646 million tonnes dispatched in May 2022. South-based mills dispatched 1.086 million tonnes of cement during May 2023, which was 60.77 percent more compared to the dispatches of 0.676 million tonnes during May 2022.
North-based cement mills dispatched 2.768 million tonnes of cement in domestic markets in May 2023, showing an increase of 7.58 percent against 2.573 million tonnes dispatched in May 2022. South-based mills dispatched 664,891 tonnes of cement in local markets during May 2023, which was 15.36 percent more compared to the dispatches of 576,385 during May 2022. Exports from North-based mills increased by 53.83 percent as the quantities increased from 72,450 tonnes in May 2022 to 111,451 tonnes in May 2023. Exports from the South also increased by 323.97 percent to 421,704 tonnes in May 2023 from 99,465 tonnes during the same month last year.
During the first eleven months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) have been 40.518 million tonnes, which is 14.93 percent lower than the 47.627 million tonnes dispatched during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. Domestic dispatches during the said period were 36.528 million tonnes against 42.655 million tonnes during the same period last year, showing a reduction of 14.36 percent.
Export dispatches were 19.76 percent less as the volumes reduced to 3.990 million tonnes during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year compared to 4.972 million tonnes exported during the same period of the last fiscal year. North-based mills dispatched 29.925 million tonnes of cement domestically during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year, showing a reduction of 15.27 percent compared to cement dispatches of 35.316 million tonnes during July-May 2022. Exports from the North increased by 19.69 percent to 974,126 tonnes during July-May 2023 compared with 813,902 tonnes exported during the same period last year.
Total dispatches by North-based mills reduced by 14.48 percent to 30.899 million tonnes during the first eleven months of the current financial year from 36.130 million tonnes during the same period of the last financial year. Domestic dispatches by South-based mills during July-May 2023 were 6.603 million tonnes, showing a reduction of 10.03 percent over 7.339 million tonnes of cement dispatched during the same period of the last fiscal year.
Exports from the South also declined by 27.48 percent to 3.015 million tonnes during July-May 2023 compared with 4.158 million tonnes exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by South-based mills reduced by 16.34 percent to 9.619 million tonnes during the first eleven months of the current financial year from 11.497 million tonnes during the same period of the last financial year.