Cement sales in Pakistan saw a decline of 16.55 percent in April 2023.
The total Cement dispatches during April 2023 were 2.951 million tons against 3.536 million tons dispatched during the same month of last fiscal year.
According to JS Global, this is the lowest level of dispatches recorded in 9 months.
According to the data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, local cement shipments by the industry during the month of April 2023 were 2.531 million tons compared to 3.380 million tons in April 2022, showing a decline of 25.13 percent. Exports dispatched increased by 168.61 percent as the volumes increased from 156,613 tons in April 2022 to 420,677 tons in April 2023.
In April 2023, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.193 million tons of cement showing a decline of 23.54 percent against 2.868 million tons of dispatches in April 2022. South-based mills dispatched 0.758 million tons of cement during April 2023 which was 13.44 percent more compared to the dispatches of 0.669 million tons during April 2022.
North-based cement mills dispatched 2.109 million tons of cement in domestic markets in April 2023 showing a decline of 24.85 percent against 2.806 million tons dispatched in April 2022. South-based mills dispatched 422,071 tons of cement in local markets during April 2023 which was 26.47 percent less compared to the dispatches of 573,975 during April 2022.
Exports from North-based mills increased by 35.93 percent as the quantities increased from 61,971 tons in April 2022 to 84,238 tons in April 2023. Exports from the South also increased by 255.49 percent to 336,439 tons in April 2023 from 94,642 tons during the same month last year.
During the first ten months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) were 36.551 million tons which is 17.50 percent lower than the 44.306 million tons dispatched during the corresponding period of last fiscal year.
Domestic shipments during this period were 33.095 million tons against 39.506 million tons during the same period last year showing a reduction of 16.23 percent. Export dispatches were also 27.99 percent less as the volumes reduced to 3.456 million tons during the first ten months of the current fiscal year compared to 4.800 million tons of exports done during the same period of last fiscal year.
North-based Mills dispatched 27.157 million tons of cement domestically during the first ten months of the current fiscal year showing a reduction of 17.06 percent from cement dispatches of 32.743 million tons during July-April 2022.
Exports from the North increased by 16.35 percent to 862,675 tons during July-April 2023 compared with 741,452 tons exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by North-based Mills reduced by 16.32 percent to 28.019 million tons during the first ten months of the current financial year from 33.485 million tons during the same period of the last financial year.
Domestic dispatches by South-based Mills during July-April 2023 were 5.938 million tons showing a reduction of 12.19 percent over 6.763 million tons of cement dispatched during the same period of last fiscal year.
Exports from the South declined by 36.09 percent to 2.593 million tons during July-April 2023 compared with 4.058 million tons exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by South-based Mills reduced by 21.15 percent to 8.532 million tons during the first ten months of the current financial year from 10.821 million tons during the same period of the last financial year.
A spokesman of the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association said that the current economic turmoil has badly impacted cement consumption.
Source: Pro Pakistani