KARACHI: Local cem­ent despatches surged 15.17 per cent year-on-year in October to 3.926 million tonnes, up from 3.409m tonnes in the same month last year, according to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manu­fac­turers Association (APCMA).

However, exports drop­ped 23.44pc, falling from 1.081m tonnes to 0.827m tonnes. Total cement despatches — including both domestic sales and exports — stood at 4.754m tonnes, compared to 4.490m tonnes in October 2024, reflecting modest growth of 6pc.

During the first four months of FY26, total cement despatches reached 17.265m tonnes, up 15.48pc from 14.951m tonnes in the same period last fiscal year.

Domestic despatches rose sharply by 18pc to 13.849m tonnes, compared to 11.728m tonnes a year earlier. Export volumes also improved 6pc year-on-year, totalling 3.416m tonnes, against 3.223m tonnes during 4MFY25.

An APCMA spokesman said the decline in exports over the past two months was “a matter of concern” for the industry.

“If this trend continues, it may dent our hopes of a full cement sector revival,” he warned, urging the government to adopt export-friendly policies to make Pakistani cement more competitive in foreign markets.Industry observers noted that while strong local demand continues to support production, high freight costs and weaker regional demand are weighing on export performance.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2025