Cement sales edge up 0.9% in March

Industry body fears oil, coal price volatility can escalate business costs

LAHORE:

Cement manufacturers dispatched 3.745 million tons to domestic and export markets in March 2026, a slight increase of 0.91% compared to dispatches of 3.712 million tons in the same month of last year.

According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, local cement sales of the industry reached 3.097 million tons in March this year compared to 3.103 million tons in March 2025, showing a decline of 0.20%. Exports, however, rose 6.56% as volumes jumped from 608,614 tons in March last year to 648,564 tons this year.

North-based mills supplied 2.639 million tons of cement, higher by 3.07% against 2.561 million tons last year. South-based mills dispatched 1.11 million tons, lower by 3.89% compared to 1.151 million tons in the previous year.

North-based cement manufacturers provided 2.639 million tons for domestic markets in March 2026, up 3.82% from dispatches of 2.542 million tons in March 2025. South-based mills sold 457,583 tons in local markets, reflecting a decrease of 18.40% compared to 560,797 tons last year.

There were no exports from the northern mills during March while exports from the south rose 9.91% to 648,564 tons from 590,106 tons in the previous year.

During the first nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic sales and exports) went up 9.80% to 38.54 million tons compared to 35.1 million tons in the corresponding period of last year. Domestic supplies during the nine-month period were 31.6 million tons against 28.56 million tons last year, showing an increase of 10.61%. Exports were 6.25% higher where volumes rose to 6.94 million tons compared to shipments of 6.53 million tons last year.

An association spokesman mentioned that the current geopolitical tensions were posing a serious threat to the manufacturing sectors. "Cement is an energy-intensive industry and the current volatility in oil and coal prices will have serious effects due to cost escalations and disruptions in supply chains," he said.