Pakistan cement exports expected to reach 2.5Mt
Due to increasing demand in Afghanistan, UAE and Bangladesh, the cement exports of the country are expected to reach 2.5Mt by end of the fiscal 2006-07.
This was informed to the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet during a presentation on wheat stocks and cement industry here on Thursday. The ECC was informed that due to the encouraging government policy and a turnaround in the cement industry during the last seven years, the annual cement production, which was 15.72 million during year 2001-2002, has increased to 33Mt during the current fiscal year.
The meeting was informed that the production has doubled during the last seven years. The local consumption of cement was 9.8Mt, some seven years back, which has reached to 17Mt in the last fiscal year 2005-06. The local cement consumption has increased to 9.9Mt due to the earthquake reconstruction process and other construction activities across the country during the first 6 months of the current fiscal year 2006-07.
Pakistan had exported 0.107Mt cement in the fiscal year 2000-2001 and the country has exported some 1.5Mt cement in the last fiscal year 2005-06. The exports of cement during the first six months (July-December) of the current fiscal year 2006-07 have witnessed good growth and have crossed 1Mt. The meeting was informed that due to the demand in the said markets, the exports of cement could reach at 2.5Mt by the end of this fiscal year. The price of 50kg cement bag was recorded at Rs 214 on average in the country against Rs 353 per bag in April 2006. The increase in the cement production has benefited the consumers as well as the industry.
Published under Cement News
