The increase in cement sales in Pakistan during November 2024 is not going to be underrated. The total cement dispatched in this month reached 4.146 million tons, 5.58 percent over the dispatched 3.927 million tons in November 2023 according to the report reported by All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association.
Local cement sales increased marginally by 2.39 from 3.264 million tons in November 2023 to 3.342 million tons in November 2024. However, exports give a greater boost in dispatches of 21.27 from 662,374 tons to 803,258 tons.
The north mills dispatched 2.925 million tons in November 2024, which is a 2.01% increase from 2.867 million tons in November 2023. The south mills dispatched 1.220 million tons, showing an increase of 15.21% from 1.060 million tons in November 2023.
Domestic dispatches from north mills are 2.757 million tons, an increase of 1.23% against 2.723 million tons in November 2023. South Mills dispatched 585,689 tons locally, an increase of 8.24% over 541,079 tons in November 2023.
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Export dispatches by north-based mills grew by 16.90% as motioned between November 2023 and November 2024, rising from 143,942 tons to 168,265 tons. The exports from south-based mills have also advanced by 22.48%, from 518,432 tons in November 2023 to 634,993 tons in November 2024.
Nonetheless, in the first five months of the current financial year, total dispatches of cement (domestic and exports) came to 18.779 million tons, a decline of 5.24% compared with 19.818 in the same period last year. Domestic would drop 11.61 to 14.752 million tons from 16.690 million tons.
Increased export dispatches have increased by 28.73%, up to 4.027 million tons from 3.128 million tons. Mills north of the country have transported 12.399 million tons domestically as compared to the previous year, which was down by 10.39% from 13.836 million tons. The North has shown an increase of 26.47% in its exports which now stands at 878,324 tons.
Mills in the south sent 2.353 million tons domestically, down by 17.55% from 2.853 million tons. Exports from the south are up by 29.38% to 3.148 million tons.
The All-Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association representative remarked that there will be much more cement sales, especially in domestic takeoffs, if duties and taxes are lessened by the government so that they are cheaper to the consumers. This is bound to induce better demand, thus enabling the sector to use its idle capacity.