ISLAMABAD: Cement dispatches experienced a slight decline in April 2024, with total dispatches amounting to 2.943 million tons compared to 2.951 million tons dispatched in the same month of the previous fiscal year.
Data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association revealed that local cement dispatches by the industry in April 2024 amounted to 2.328 million tons, a decrease of 7.99% from the 2.531 million tons recorded in April 2023. Conversely, exports saw a significant increase of 45.96%, rising from 420,857 tons in April 2023 to 614,264 tons in April 2024.
In April 2024, cement mills in the northern region dispatched 2.088 million tons, marking a decline of 4.79% from the 2.193 million tons dispatched in April 2023. Meanwhile, mills in the southern region dispatched 854,911 tons, reflecting a 12.71% increase from the 758,510 tons dispatched in April 2023.
Domestically, north-based mills dispatched 1.942 million tons of cement in April 2024, down by 7.91% from the 2.109 million tons dispatched in April 2023. South-based mills dispatched 386,783 tons, indicating an 8.36% decrease from the 422,071 tons dispatched in April 2023.
Exports from north-based mills surged by 73.11%, increasing from 84,418 tons in April 2023 to 146,136 tons in April 2024. Exports from the south also rose by 39.14%, reaching 468,128 tons in April 2024 from 336,439 tons in April 2023.
During the first ten months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) amounted to 37.447 million tons, a 2.45% increase from the 36.551 million tons dispatched during the same period last fiscal year. Domestic dispatches during this period totaled 31.732 million tons, down by 4.12% from the 33.095 million tons dispatched during the same period last year. Export dispatches showed robust growth of 65.35%, increasing to 5.715 million tons from 3.457 million tons during the same period last fiscal year.
North-based mills dispatched 26.178 million tons domestically during the first ten months of the current fiscal year, a 3.60% reduction from the 27.156 million tons dispatched during July 2022-April 2023. Exports from the north increased by 37.48% to 1.186 million tons during July 2023-April 2024 compared to 862,855 tons exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by north-based mills decreased by 2.34% to 27.364 million tons during the first ten months of the current financial year from 28.019 million tons during the same period last financial year.
Domestic dispatches by south-based mills during July 2023-April 2024 were 5.553 million tons, a reduction of 6.48% from the 5.938 million tons dispatched during the same period last fiscal year. Exports from the south increased significantly by 74.62% to 4.529 million tons during July 2023-April 2024 compared to 2.594 million tons exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by south-based mills increased by 18.17% to 10.082 million tons during the first ten months of the current financial year from 8.532 million tons during the same period last financial year.
A spokesperson for the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association urged the government to announce industry-friendly measures in the upcoming budget to boost construction activities in the country. He emphasized the need to increase capacity utilization to achieve economies of scale and control operational costs to minimize the overall impact on end consumers.
