Pakistan saw overall growth in cement demand during the fiscal year ending 30 June 2026. According to data compiled by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local sales increased from 37.91Mt in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2025 to 41.51Mt in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, representing a 9.5 per cent increase. On the export side, the industry experienced a 2.19 per cent decline, with export volumes dropping to 9.01Mt in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, down from 9.21Mt in the previous fiscal year. Overall, the industry achieved growth of 7.21 per cent in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, with volumes of 50.52Mt, up from 47.116Mt in the previous fiscal year.
Notably, during June 2026 alone, total cement dispatches were 4.33Mt, up 18.38 per cent from 3.66Mt dispatched in the same month of the last fiscal year. Local cement dispatches were 3.54Mt in June 2026, up 26.78 per cent from 2.79Mt in June 2025. Exports, on the contrary, declined by 8.73 per cent, with volumes falling from 865,387t in June 2025 to 789,840t in June 2026.
In June 2026, northern-based cement mills dispatched 3.02Mt of cement, showing an increase of 16.39 per cent against 2.594Mt dispatched in June 2025. South-based mills dispatched 1.31Mt of cement in June 2026, which was 23.23 per cent higher than the 1.07Mt dispatched in June 2025.
Northern cement mills dispatched 3.02Mt of cement in domestic markets in June 2026, showing an increase of 26.53 per cent against 2.39Mt dispatched in June 2025. Southern-based mills dispatched 522,021t of cement to local markets in June 2026, which was 28.24 per cent higher than the 407,069t dispatched in June 2025.
There were no exports from Northern-based mills in June 2026. Exports from the south jumped by 20.12 per cent to 789,840t in June 2026 from 657,527 tons in the same month last year.
Cumulative dispatches 12-month
During the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, north-based mills dispatched 34.72Mt of cement domestically, an increase of 10.83 per cent over the 31.33Mt dispatched in the previous fiscal year. Exports from the north declined by 53.85 per cent to 777,207t during the current fiscal year, compared with 1.68Mt exported during the last fiscal year. Total dispatches by northern mills increased by 7.53 per cent to 35.50Mt in the current fiscal year, up from 33.01Mt in the last fiscal year.
Domestic dispatches by southern-based mills during the current fiscal year were 6.79Mt, up 3.18 per cent from 6.58Mt dispatched during the last fiscal year. Exports from south also increased by 9.36 per cent to 8.23Mt during the current fiscal year, compared with 7.53Mt exported during the last fiscal year. Total dispatches by southern-based Mills increased by 6.48 per cent to 15.02Mt in the current fiscal year, up from 14.10Mt in the last fiscal year. Southern-based mills showed growth in both domestic and export markets.
Industry comments
A spokesman for APCMA is optimistic that strong demand for cement will continue in the coming months on both the domestic and international fronts. He also stated that the collective efforts of all stakeholders to amicably resolve geopolitical tensions will result in competitive and stable energy supplies and address concerns about high energy and fuel costs. In addition, AKD Research noted that domestic offtakes maintained growth throughout FY26, supported by a revival in construction activity amid easing inflation, improving income levels, and lower financing rates. Meanwhile, exports contracted as the absence of north-region exports for most of the year, due to border closures, drove the overall decline, outweighing growth in southern-region exports.
By Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan
