KARACHI, March 27: Exporters are unable to meet the higher Indian cement demand due to irregular and insufficient railway service, which could haul around 150,000 tons per month and fetch around $10.5 million at an average price of $70 per ton (cost and freight) at Attari, the Indian border station.

However, only 126,500 tons could cross the Wagha border in last six months as Pakistan Railways (PR) is unable to provide efficient and required load capacity to facilitate cement export to India.

When cement exports began last year the PR provided single train service per day with a load capacity of an average of 2,000 tons.

However, on strong demand the railways announced to increase the number of trains to three per day and also committed to further enhance the capacity and number to five per day to meet the exporters demand. But unfortunately,

this commitment is yet to be fulfilled.

In October last, the cement export through rail was around 19,079 tons, which in November 2007 declined to 13,304 tons. However, during December 2007 and January 2008, it jumped back to 21,173 and 40,485 tons, respectively. After touching all time high at 42,417 tons last month, the cement export, up to March 27, remained extremely slow at 15,000 tons.