Pakistan: August cement dispatches rise

Pakistan's cement dispatches in August 2016 stood at 3.585Mt, 16.75 per cent higher than dispatches of 3.071Mt recorded during the same month of previous fiscal year, according to the data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).

Domestic sales during August 2016 were 3.028Mt against 2.5Mt in August 2015, a growth of 20.92 per cent. Cement sales in the north were 2.495Mt against 2.034Mt in August 2015, while in the south they amounted to 0.532Mt against 0.47Mt in August 2015.

Exports to Afghanistan fell to 346,928t during the first two months of the fiscal year compared to 394,500t in the corresponding period of last year, down 12.1 per cent.

Exports by sea declined further in the first two months of 2016 at 407,120t down 24.19 per cent on the 537,120t exported during July and August 2015, reports the APCMA.

However, the association says higher exports to India somewhat made up for the shortfall. Exports to India during the first two months were 268,230t compared to 100,437t during the same period of previous year.