KARACHI: Cement sales increased by 6.23 per cent to 17.12 million tonnes in the first half of FY15 as compared to 16.11 million tonnes in the corresponding period of last year.

“The growth in sales was led by 9pc increase in domestic cement consumption during the July-Dec period of this fiscal year,” said a spokesman of All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) on Monday. “The higher cement uptake depicts turnaround in the economy,” he added.

Factories located in North recorded 10.5pc growth in domestic consumption by selling 10.96m tonnes during the first half of FY15 against 9.9m tonnes during the same period last year. However, their foreign sales dipped by 9.65pc to 2.54m tonnes against 2.8m tonnes the same period last year.

He said the South-based factories witnessed a growth of 2.39pc in domestic sales at 2.10m tonnes and their exp­orts also rose by 13.92pc to 1.51m tonnes during July-Dec period agai­nst 1.33m tonnes last year.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2015

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