April 8, 2006	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 9, 1427

KARACHI, April 7: Ban on cement exports to Afghanistan and other countries from April 6 has, so far, failed to make any impact on the prices and consumers are still paying higher rates.

However, dealers said that there had been some improvement in the supply situation but the price-trend had not changed direction as yet.

Meanwhile, market sources said that despite the ban some manufacturers made shipments to Afghanistan Thursday in order to fulfil their old commitments.

A market survey revealed that Falcon cement was still selling at Rs380-400 per 50 kg bag as compared to Rs350-355 last week. Pakland cement is available at Rs380 as compared to Rs350 last week, while Power cement is now priced between Rs370 as against Rs340. Javedan cement is selling at Rs360-370 as compared to Rs350.

Dealers in F B Area and Gulshan-e-Iqbal said that there had been no let-up in prices, but the rates may fall in the next two to three days as cement despatches from the industry had picked up pace from Friday after suspension of exports.

Previously, they continued, the manufacturers were holding supplies or were releasing little quantities against our big orders even there was shortage of cement in the market.

They added that the improved supplies from the factories were likely to make some impact on the prices in a day or two or after 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal falling on Tuesday.

A concrete block-maker in F B Area said that he had stopped making blocks as the rising cement prices had made the price of blocks unaffordable for the consumers. “We are selling blocks at old rates when cement was selling at Rs350 per 50 kg. We are not making blocks as cement is now selling between Rs370-400,” he said adding that block prices had been gradually surging with the increase in cement prices.

However, it is still unclear as to how much decline would be witnessed in cement prices in the next few days. Dealers, retailers and manufacturers are still tight- lipped to reveal the extent of decline in cement prices.

A leading cement maker, on condition of anonymity, also confirmed that prices had not declined yet, as there were slightly lower supplies of the exportable stocks in the market on April 6, due to shipments made by some manufacturers to fulfil their earlier commitments. However, supplies from the factories to the market had improved on Friday.

Around 10 per cent exportable cement (150,000-180,000 tons) will be diverted, during April 6 to 30, to the local markets to bring stability in prices.