[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]In August 2023, the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) reported a substantial 37.04 percent increase in cement shipments, reaching 4.518 million tons. Within this month, the local cement sector delivered 3.793 million tons, marking a 30.38 percent rise compared to the 2.909 million tons in August 2022.
Export shipments also saw a robust 87 percent growth, with volumes expanding from 387,440 tons in August 2022 to 724,777 tons in August 2023.
Specifically, during August 2023, cement mills in the northern region dispatched 3.252 million tons, a notable increase of 25.28 percent compared to the 2.596 million tons dispatched in August 2022. Meanwhile, mills in the southern region shipped 1.265 million tons in August 2023, representing an impressive 80.63 percent increase over the 700,436 tons dispatched in August 2022.
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Domestic deliveries from the northern-based cement mills amounted to 3.088 million tons in August 2023, marking a 23.32 percent rise from the 2.504 million tons dispatched in August 2022. Similarly, southern-based mills delivered 704,582 tons of cement to local markets in August 2023, which was 73.99 percent higher compared to the 404,959 tons delivered in August 2022.
Export figures from northern-based mills surged by 78.54 percent, growing from 91,963 tons in August 2022 to 164,195 tons in August 2023. Southern-based mills also experienced an 89.72 percent increase in exports, reaching 560,582 tons in August 2023, up from 295,477 tons in the same month the previous year.
Looking at the first two months of the current fiscal year, the total cement shipments (both domestic and exports) amounted to 7.747 million tons, a substantial 45.17 percent increase from the 5.337 million tons dispatched during the same period in the previous fiscal year. Domestic deliveries during this period reached 6.573 million tons, a 37.05 percent rise from the 4.796 million tons in the corresponding period last year. Export shipments also witnessed significant growth, with volumes increasing by 117.13 percent to 1.175 million tons during the first two months of the current fiscal year, compared to 540,957 tons during the same period in the last fiscal year.
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For the northern-based mills, domestic deliveries during the first two months of the current fiscal year amounted to 5.440 million tons, showing a 32 percent increase from the 4.121 million tons dispatched in July and August 2022. Exports from the northern region grew by 76.32 percent to 286,009 tons during July and August 2023, compared to 162,210 tons during the same period the previous year. The total despatches from northern-based mills increased by 33.68 percent to 5.726 million tons during the first two months of the current fiscal year, up from 4.284 million tons during the same period in the last fiscal year.
As for the southern-based mills, domestic deliveries during July and August 2023 totaled 1.132 million tons, marking a 67.91 percent increase over the 674,436 tons dispatched during the same period in the last fiscal year. Exports from the southern region also surged by 134.61 percent to 888,559 tons during July and August 2023, compared to 378,747 tons exported during the same period the previous year. The total despatches from southern-based mills increased by 91.89 percent to 2.021 million tons during the first two months of the current fiscal year, up from 1.053 million tons during the same period in the last fiscal year.
A spokesperson for APCMA highlighted the rapid depreciation of the national currency against the dollar, historically high petroleum prices, and rising electricity tariffs. These factors have led to increasing production costs and transportation expenses, which are likely to impact end-consumer prices. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of the government addressing these concerns to help the industry navigate this challenging situation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
