Cement sales jump to all-time high

Dispatches jump 18% to stand at 5.21m tons in September

LAHORE:

The cement sector posted highest-ever sales in September 2020. The total sales during September 2020 stood at 5.21 million tons against 4.27 million tons in September 2019.

According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), the local uptake of cement in September 2020 increased 17.65% to 4.09 million tons from 3.47 million tons in September 2019. Meanwhile, exports registered an increase of 40.95% to 1.12 million tons against 0.79 million tons in September 2019. Cement mills based in the north dispatched 3.523 million tons during September 2020, up 16.3% from 3.029 million tons in September 2019.

On the other hand, exports from north increased 9.27% to 0.287 million tons in September 2020 from 0.263 million tons in September 2019. There has been a positive growth in the southern region as well where the domestic cement dispatches went up by 26.84% to 565,236 tons from 445,629 tons in September 2019.

Exports from the south continued to grow and surged 56.53% to 837,033 tons in September this year from 534,751 tons in the same month of the previous year. Total cement dispatches during the quarter increased 21.88% to 13.573 million tons from 11.136 million tons in July-September 2019. Domestic dispatches registered a healthy increase of 18.84% to 10.837 million tons. Exports also showed encouraging growth and jumped 35.67% from 2.016 million tons to 2.735 million tons.

The cement industry in Pakistan made large investment in new plants and machinery and modernised over the last few years, which has helped the consumer and ensured availability of cement at very competitive rates compared to other countries in the region, said APCMA official.

The recent construction package announced by the prime minister has also helped the industry in terms of growth and the industry is fully aligned to support the government in its efforts to restart development and reindustrialisation.