Pakistan first-quarter dispatches up 4.86% YoY

Pakistan's total dispatches for the first quarter of the current fiscal increased by 4.86 per cent YoY as domestic sales offset lower exports.

Domestic sales increased by 9.85 per cent in the July-September period, according to the latest data. Exports however, dropped by 8.13 per cent YoY during the period.

Total dispatches during September 2014 were 3.15Mt compared to 2.94Mt during the same month last year. Domestic dispatches in September were down 13.86 per cent 2.42Mt compared to 2.12Mt in the same month of last year. Exports during September 2014 were 730,000t against 816,000 tons during September 2013, showing a decline of 10.6 per cent.

According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), the industry has been struggling against the high duty structure, the imposition of maximum retail price (MRP), increasing import duties on coal, increasing power tariffs and axle load restrictions. The lower growth rate for domestic dispatches in the south compared to the north has been partially attributed to cheap Iranian cement being allegedly being smuggled into the southern region.