Domestic cement demand remained sluggish during the fiscal year 2024~25. According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local sales decreased from 38.181 million tons during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, to 37.017 million tons during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, representing a decline of 3.05%. On the export side, the industry achieved healthy growth of 29.46% as volumes increased to 9.204 million tons during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, compared to 7.110 million tons exported during the previous fiscal year. Overall, the industry achieved a marginal growth of 2.05% during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, with volumes of 46.221 million tons, compared to 45.291 million tons during the previous fiscal year.

In June 2025, local cement dispatches by the industry totalled 2.597 million tons, down from 3.079 million tons in June 2024, representing a 15.65% decline. Exports dispatched, on the other hand, jumped by a massive 81.70% as the volumes increased from 472,865 tons in June 2024 to 859,204 tons in June 2025. Total Cement dispatches during June 2025 were 3.457 million tons, compared to 3.552 Million Tons dispatched during the same month of the previous fiscal year, representing a decline of 2.69%.

In June 2025, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.445 million tons of cement, representing a 10.21% decline from the 2.723 million tons dispatched in June 2024. South-based mills dispatched 1.01 million tons of cement in June 2025, which was 21.99% more than the 0.830 million tons dispatched in June 2024.

North-based cement mills dispatched 2.237 million tons of cement in domestic markets in June 2025, representing a 14.43% decline from the 2.614 million tons dispatched in June 2024. South-based mills dispatched 360,814 tons of cement in local markets during June 2025, which was 22.50% less than the 465,578 tons dispatched during June 2024.

Exports from North-based mills increased by 91.05% as the quantities rose from 108,861 tons in June 2024 to 207,975 tons in June 2025. Exports from South also increased by 78.91% to 651,229 tons in June 2025 from 364,004 tons during the same month last year.

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, North-based Mills dispatched 30.726 million tons of cement domestically, representing a 2.60% reduction from the 31.545 million tons dispatched during July 2023 to June 2024. Exports from North increased by 15.56% to 1.684 million tons during July 2024-June 2025 compared with 1.457 million tons exported during the last fiscal year. Total dispatches by North-based mills reduced by 1.79% to 32.410 million tons during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, from 33.002 million tons during the last fiscal year.

Domestic dispatches based on Mills during July 2024-June 2025 were 6.291 million tons, showing a reduction of 5.21% over the 6.636 million tons of cement dispatched during the last fiscal year. Exports from South showed a healthy increase of 33.04% to 7.519 million tons during July 2024 to June 2025, compared with 5.652 million tons exported during the previous fiscal year. Total dispatches by South-based Mills increased by 12.38% to 13.811 million tons during the fiscal year ending 30th June, 2025, from 12.289 million tons during the last fiscal year.

A spokesman for the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association said that decreasing domestic demand is a major hindrance to the growth of the cement industry. He appealed to the government to cut duties and taxes, as cement is not a luxury item but a basic necessity. We must find ways to increase domestic off-take to utilise the idle capacity, which will attract economic growth, as well as employment opportunities and increased revenue for allied industries, he added.