Cement sales up 5.5% in 2003

The Indian cement industry has ended fiscal 2003-04 with a 5.5 per cent rise in despatches at 117.13Mt as against 111.07Mt in fiscal 2002-03.. Production for the year was 117.43Mt, an increase of 5.5 per cent over last year’s 111.35Mt. For the month of March 2004, despatches rose 5 per cent while production rose 3.7 per cent. Despatches increased to 11.3Mt in the just ended fiscal March 31, 2004 from 10.76Mt a year earlier. Production for the month rose to 11.28Mt from 10.88Mt. Analysts point out that the pick-up in demand which normally happens post monsoons have not been fully effective this year on account of impending general elections. ACC has registered eight per cent rise in despatches for the month of March at 1.48Mt as against 1.37Mt. Production also saw a similar rise at 1.47Mt.  The Gujarat Ambuja Group, comprising flagship -- Gujarat Ambuja Cements, Ambuja Eastern and Ambuja Rajasthan -- however, saw a drop in despatches at 1.24Mt as against 1.3Mt in March 2003. The AV Birla company, Grasim, saw a three per cent rise in volumes (original report Financial Times of India)