According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), domestic cement sales for the first eleven months of the current fiscal year declined by 1.9 per cent YoY, dropping from 35.1Mt  in July 2023-May 2024 to 34.4Mt. However, exports rose by 25.7 per cent, resulting in an overall 2.5 per cent growth for the sector during these months.

However, in a positive development in May 2025, Usama Rauf of AKD Securities Ltd noted that local offtakes improved YoY as a result of increased construction activity, particularly in Punjab and Sindh, with a sequential boost driven by more working days in April 2025, which were affected by the Eid holidays. The APCMA data indicate that in May 2025, cement dispatches rose by 8.6 per cent to 4.651Mt compared to 4.284Mt in May 2024. Local dispatches amounted to 3.662Mt, an 8.9 per cent increase from 3.362Mt in the previous May. Exports increased by 7.3 per cent, rising from 0.922Mt to 0.989Mt.

In May 2025 northern-based mills dispatched 3.261Mt, up 11.9 per cent from 2.915Mt in May 2024, while southern-based mills dispatched 1.39Mt, a 1.5 per cent rise from 1.379Mt. Exports from the northern mills surged by 48.3 per cent to 241,578t, while exports from the south declined by 1.5 per cent.

In the 11MFY24-25) total cement dispatches reached 42.764Mt, a 2.5 per cent increase from 41.739Mt during the same period last year. Domestic dispatches totalled 34.419Mt, down 2.1 per cent from the previous year, while exports surged by 25.7 per cent to 8.345Mt. In the north mills dispatched 28.489Mt domestically, down 1.5 per cent, while in the south mills dispatched 5.93Mt, a 3.9 per cent decrease. South exports increased by 29.9 per cent to 6.868Mt.

An APCMA spokesman highlighted the need to examine the contraction in local offtake, stressing the importance of domestic demand for utilising idle capacity and contributing to economic development. The cement industry’s growth is essential for allied sectors and overall economic improvement, and he expressed optimism that the government would address the industry’s concerns in the future.

by Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan