Pakistan: exports continue to decline in 8MFY16-17

Pakistan cement exporters have earned revenues of US$12.24m on exports of 229,819t cement in February 2017, compared to US$22.268m on 411,257t of exports in the previous month. These figures represent a MoM decline in dollar value and volumes of 45 percent and 44.1 per cent, respectively. However, when compared with February 2016 (519,733t with a value of US$28.131m), volumes slipped by 56.5 per cent and the value was down by 55.8 per cent, according to the country's Federal Bureau of Statistics.
 
In the first eight months of the FY16-17 (July-February 2017), Pakistani cement producers exported 3.44Mt of cement at a total value of US$180.13m compared with 4.01Mt at US$219.67m in the equivalent period of the previous year. This represents a YoY retrenchment both in terms of value -18 per cent and volume -14.4 per cent.
 
According to data released by All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), in the first eight months of this fiscal, the country's exports to Afghanistan fell by 16.7 per cent and overseas market over 23 per cent.

However, exports to India increased by 68 per cent. In contrast the exports from the north declined by just under three per cent, compared with a decline of 18.2 per cent in the south. The fall in exports from the south should be a particular concern for the country's authorities as production facilities located near the sea in the south are typically the leading cement exporters.