KARACHI: Despite persistent price increases and a slowdown in construction activities in the last few months, domestic cement sales during FY22 showed only a one per cent drop, followed by a steep fall of 43.57pc in exports.

Total cement despatches (domestic and exports) were 52.89 million tonnes in FY22, down 8pc from 57.43m tonnes the previous fiscal year. Domestic uptake fell to 47.63m tonnes from 48.11m tonnes, whereas exports plunged to 5.25m tonnes from 9.31m tonnes in FY21.

Total cement despatches (local and export) increased by 1pc in June 2022 to 5.26m tonnes, up from 5.21m tonnes in June 2021, according to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).

Local cement despatches by the industry during June 2022 were 4.97m tonnes compared to 4.66m tonnes in June 2021, up by 6.66pc. Export shipments fell 47.57pc in June 2022, from 542,622 tonnes in June 2021 to 284,471 tonnes in June 2022.

North-based cement mills shipped 4.12m tonnes of cement into domestic markets in June 2022, up 6.8pc from 3.85m tonnes in June 2021. South-based mills sold 856,863 tonnes of cement in local markets in June 2022, a 6pc increase over the previous month’s total of 808,490 tonnes.

Exports from mills in the North fell by 52pc, from 201,540 tonnes in June 2021 to 97,163 tonnes in June 2022. Exports from the South fell 45pc to 187,308 tonnes in June 2022, down from 341,082 tonnes the previous month.

North-based mills sold 39.44m tonnes domestically in FY22, a 3pc decrease from the 40.58m tonnes sold in FY21. Exports from the North fell 64.52pc to 910,685 tonnes in FY22, compared to 2.56m tonnes the previous fiscal year.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2022