Cement despatches for the month of October decreased by 5.87 percent primarily because of a drastic decline of 20.59 percent in cement export, said the manufacturers on Monday.
They said local despatches, however, showed a marginal growth of 0.19 percent.
A spokesman of All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) said during the month in review the industry despatched 2.767 million tons of cement that was 5.87 percent less than the despatches achieved in the corresponding month of last year.
Despaches in the same month of 2011 stood at 2.939 million tons, the spokesman said. He said the local cement dispatches were 2.086 million tons, marking an increase of 0.19 percent compared to cement despatched in October 2011 that were recorded at 2.082 million tons.
He said during the first four months of FY13 the total cement despatches stood at 10.474 million tons which was slightly higher than the total despatches of 10.436 million tons achieved during corresponding period of last year. He said overall gain in despatches was only 0.37 percent. The capacity utilization of the industry during July-October 2012 period stood at 70.19 percent.
The spokesman said cement exports continued their downward trend in October 2012 as well declining by massive 20.59 percent from the exports achieved in October 2011.
Pakistan exports cement to Afghanistan, India and other destinations through sea. During the period from July-October 2012, exports to Afghanistan declined by 9.46 percent to 1.634 million tons. The exports to India contracted by 37.51 percent to 0.158 million tons and exports to other destinations through sea were increased by 2.34 percent to 1.161 million tons.
Chairman APCMA Aizaz Mansoor Sheikh said the hype created on trade with India had so far not been materialized and export in that market was well below the expectation of the cement sector.
He said after opening of land route it was expected that industry should be able to export more than five million tons cement to India.
