The Pakistan cement exports to India have registered a decline of 15.67 percent in the first quarter of current fiscal year, standing at 137,742 tonnes compared to 163,340 tonnes exports volume of the yesteryear’s same period, said Aizaz Mansoor Sheikh Chairman Association of Pakistan Cement Manufacturers (APCMA).
Exports to India in fact have been on constant decline ever since the two countries opened their borders for liberal bilateral trade.
The Pakistan traders blame the stringent Non Tariff Barriers erected by India for the constant decline in exports to India.
Pakistan’s cement sector was expecting a quantum jump of at least 0.5 million tonnes in last fiscal on easing of NTBs by India but it did not happen.
Exporters’ issues include a lengthy process to obtain a certificate from Indian authorities and the validity of the quality certificate for cement exporters for one year period merely.
The exporters are not allowed to continue their exports after expiry of certificate limit that are needed to get renewal in a brief period.
The certification cost is also high and the Pakistan exporters have to bear heavy expenses for the visit and stay over of Indian inspectors.
Pakistani and Indian railways could exchange the same number of wagons for transportation of goods exports however the Pakistani wagon could not carry big cement orders due to restriction by Indian government as a rule of reciprocal. The railways wagons from the Indian side are limited for cement exporters, which increase their cost of cement transportation heavily, cement exporters were quoted as saying by media reports
APCMA has demanded the Pakistan government to raise the issues of NTBs before Indian government for immediate solution.
