October sees 8.74% increase in cement dispatches

Growth comes on export surge, offsetting dip in domestic sales

LAHORE:

Total cement dispatches in October 2024 rose to 4.357 million tonnes, up from 4.006 million tonnes in the same month last fiscal year, reflecting an 8.74% increase. This growth is primarily attributed to strong export demand, as domestic dispatches showed a slight downtrend.

According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local cement dispatches by the industry in October 2024 were recorded at 3.276 million tonnes, a marginal decrease of 0.49% compared to the 3.292 million tonnes dispatched in October 2023. Exports, however, surged by 51.29%, with volumes rising from 714,325 tonnes in October 2023 to 1,080,691 tonnes in October 2024.

In the same month, cement dispatches from North-based mills increased by 2.76% to 2.982 million tonnes, up from 2.902 million tonnes in October 2023. South-based mills also reported significant growth, dispatching 1.374 million tonnes, marking a 24.46% increase from the 1.104 million tonnes dispatched in October 2023.

Domestic dispatches from North-based mills remained stable, with 2.779 million tonnes in October 2024 compared to 2.780 million tonnes in October 2023. In contrast, South-based mills reported a slight 3.06% decrease in local dispatches, with 496,626 tonnes dispatched in October 2024 against 512,320 tonnes in the same month last year.

Export dispatches from North-based mills rose substantially by 65.83%, with volumes increasing from 122,326 tonnes in October 2023 to 202,858 tons in October 2024. Similarly, exports from South-based mills grew by 48.28%, reaching 877,833 tonnes in October 2024, up from 591,999 tonnes during the same period last year.

During the first four months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) stood at 14.633 million tonnes, marking a 7.92% decrease from the 15.891 million tonnes dispatched during the corresponding period last fiscal year. Domestic dispatches in this period amounted to 11.410 million tonnes, a 15.02% drop from the 13.426 million tonnes recorded in the same period last year. In contrast, export dispatches saw a 30.74% rise, increasing to 3.223 million tonnes in the first four months of the current fiscal year, up from 2.466 million tonnes during the same period last fiscal year.

North-based mills dispatched 9.643 million tonnes domestically in the first four months of the fiscal year, a 13.23% drop from the same period last year. However, exports from North mills rose 28.95% to 709,959 tonnes in July-October 2024, bringing total dispatches down by 11.24% to 10.353 million tonnes compared to the previous year.

South-based mills saw a 23.59% decline in domestic dispatches to 1.767 million tonnes, compared to the same period last fiscal year. Exports from South mills increased by 31.25% to 2.513 million tonnes, with total dispatches rising slightly by 1.25% to 4.280 million tonnes from the previous fiscal year.