Robust growth of 8.07 per cent in domestic cement consumption in the month of May 2015 was overshadowed by most depressing decline of 26.13 per cent in exports that resulted in an overall decline of 0.39 per cent in the cement despatches compared with May 2014.
A spokesman of the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association said the cement industry in Pakistan was still operating below capacity despite almost 7.98 per cent growth in the domestic consumption during the first 11 months of this fiscal. He said overall decline in exports in the first 11 months of 2014-15 was 10.82 per cent that restricted the total growth in the industry to only 3.47 per cent.
The data released by APCMA reveals that cement industry despatched 25.492 million tons of cement for domestic market during July-May period of this fiscal against 23.608 million tons despatched during the corresponding period last year. The exports that were 7.448 million tons in the first 11 months of last fiscal plunged to 6.642 million tons wiping out most of the gains achieved on domestic front. It is worth noting that the overall exports from South registered an increase of 4.5 per cent. These exports go through the sea. However, exports from North declined by 18.30 per cent due to Iranian cement factor as exports from the North usually go to Afghanistan.