Pakistan's cement dispatches showed a slight increase in March 2026, with total dispatches reaching 3.745Mt, up from 3.712Mt in the same month of the last fiscal year, an increase of 0.91 per cent. According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), the industry's local cement despatches in March 2026 were 3.097Mt, down from 3.103Mt in March 2025, a decline of 0.20 per cent. Exports dispatched, however, increased by 6.56 per cent, as volumes jumped from 608,614t in March 2025 to 648,564t in March 2026.
In March 2026, northern cement mills dispatched 2.639Mt, up 3.07 per cent from 2.561Mt in March 2025. Southern mills dispatched 1.11Mt of cement during Mar-26, which was 3.89 per cent lower than the dispatches of 1.151Mt during March 2025.
Northern cement mills dispatched 2.639Mt in domestic markets in March 2026, showing an increase of 3.82 per cent against 2.542Mt dispatched in Mar-25. Southern mills dispatched 457,583t of cement in local markets during Mar-26, which was 18.40 per cent less compared to the dispatches of 560,797t during March 2025. There were no exports from northern mills during Mar-26. Exports from the south increased by 9.91 per cent to 648,564t in March 2026 from 590,106t during the same month last year.
Cumulative dispatches
During 9MFY26, total cement despatches (domestic and exports) were 38.54Mt, 9.80 per cent higher than the 35.1Mt dispatched during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. Domestic despatches during this period were 31.6Mt, up from 28.56Mt during the same period last year, an increase of 10.61 per cent. Export despatches were also 6.25 per cent higher, as volumes rose to 6.94Mt during the first nine months of the current fiscal year, compared to 6.53Mt exported during the same period of the last fiscal year.
Northern mills dispatched 26.384Mt of cement domestically during the first nine months of the current fiscal year, an increase of 12.14 per cent over the 23.527Mt dispatched during July 2024 to March 2025. Exports from the north declined by 28.54 per cent to 800,360t during July 25 to March 2026 compared with 1.12Mt exported during the same period last year. Total despatches by northern mills increased by 10.29 per cent to 27.184 Mt during the first nine months of the current financial year from 24.647Mt during the same period of the last financial year.
Domestic despatches by southern mills from July 2025 to March 2026 were 5.216Mt, an increase of 3.47 per cent over the 5.041Mt dispatched during the same period of the last fiscal year. Exports from the south increased by 13.45 per cent to 6.1Mt during July 2025 to March 2026 compared with 5.412Mt exported during the same period last year. Total despatches by south-based mills increased by 8.64 per cent to 11.356Mt during the first nine months of the current financial year from 10.453Mt during the same period of the last financial year.
A spokesman for the APCMA said that the current geopolitical tensions pose serious threats to the manufacturing sector. Cement is an energy-intensive industry, and the current volatility in oil and coal prices will have a serious effect due to cost escalations and supply chain disruptions. He applauded Pakistan's role as a peacemaker to ease global tensions in the greater interest of all stakeholders.
Additionally, Usama Rauf of AKD Research has stated that annual growth in cement offtake is driven by continued expansion in exports to South, supported by market diversification. Additionally, North domestic dispatches increased with the revival of local construction activity amid easing interest rates and lower construction material prices. Meanwhile, the MoM decline in dispatches is primarily due to Ramadan and Eid holidays.
By Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan
