Cement dispatches declined by 19.22 % in February 2024. Total Cement dispatches during February 2024 were 3.259 million tons against 4.035 Million Tons dispatched during the same month of last fiscal year. According to the data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, local cement dispatches by the industry during February 2024 were 2.863 million tons compared to 3.590 million tons in February 2023, showing a decline of 20.23 %. Export dispatches declined by 11.02 % as the volumes reduced from 444,962 tons in February 2023 to 395,935 tons in February 2024.

In February 2024, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.433 million tons of cement, showing a decline of 19.26 % against 3.014 million tons of dispatches in February 2023. South-based mills dispatched 826,085 tons of cement during February 2024, 19.08 % less than the dispatches of 1.021 million tons during February 2023.

North-based cement mills dispatched 2.338 million tons of cement in domestic markets in February 2024, showing a decline of 20.73 % against 2.949 million tons of dispatches in February 2023. South-based mills dispatched 525,543 tons of cement in local markets during February 2024, which was 17.97 % less compared to the dispatches of 640,645 during February 2023.

Exports from North-based mills increased by 47.40 % as the quantities rose from 64,717 tons in February 2023 to 95,393 tons in February 2024. Exports from the South reduced by 20.96 % to 300,542 tons in February 2024 from 380,245 tons during the same month last year.

During the first eight months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) were 30.555 million tons, which is 2.52 % higher than the 29.805 million tons dispatched during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. Domestic dispatches during this period were 26.059 million tons against 27.207 million tons during the same period the previous year, showing a reduction of 4.22 %. Export dispatches showed a healthy increase of 73.10 % as the volumes increased to 4.496 million tons during the first eight months of the current fiscal year compared to 2.597 million tons of exports during the last fiscal year.

North-based Mills dispatched 21.495 million tons of cement domestically during the first eight months of the current fiscal year, showing a reduction of 3.73 % from cement dispatches of 22.327 million tons during July- February 2023. Exports from the North increased by 35.02 % per cent to 915,449 tons during July-February 2024 compared with 678,006 tons exported during the same period last year. Total dispatches by North-based Mills were reduced by 2.59 % to 22.410 million tons during the first eight months of the current financial year from 23.005 million tons during the last financial year.

Domestic dispatches by South-based Mills during July-February 2024 were 4.564 million tons, showing a reduction of 6.47 % over 4.880 million tons of cement dispatched during the same period of last fiscal year. Exports from the South increased by 86.55 % to 3.580 million tons during July-February 2024 compared with 1.919 million tons exported during the previous year. Total dispatches by South-based Mills increased by 19.78 % to 8.145 million tons during the first eight months of the current financial year from 6.799 million tons during the last financial year.

An All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association spokesman mentioned that the industry hopes the new government will frame industry-friendly policies and address its grave issues on priority. He added that we urge the new government to start pending public sector development projects to relieve the construction industry and hundreds of thousands of skilled and unskilled labour associated with the sector.