Pakistan: new trade policy carries incentive for cement export

Pakistan’s government plans to increase country cement exports and other commodities, in particular though the Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2015-18.
 
The government will provide PKR20bn (US$190m) for the implementation of the policy for the next three years. For this fiscal year, PKR6bn has already been earmarked.
 
The government is likely to provide freight subsidies on cement exports to Africa. Measures will be taken to increase the share in other potential markets such as Sri Lanka, India and Afghanistan. The duty structure will be revised on raw materials, including coal and shredded tyres.
 
Exports of cement from Pakistan during the last five years have shown a declining trend. They fell by 11.47 per cent in 2010-11 to 9.4Mt, 9.12 per cent to 8.5Mt in 2011-12, 2.26 per cent in 2012-13 to 8.3Mt, 3.37 per cent in 2013-14 to 8.13Mt and 11.57 per cent in 2014-15 to 7.19Mt. 

However, during the last seven months of 2015-16, it drastically fell by 25 per cent to 3.40Mt.