Northern Pakistan prices decline

Pakistan cement prices have registered a decline of PKR20/bag during May to PKR415-420/bag from PKR435-440/bag due to the start of wheat harvesting, which created a  temporary shortage of labour for the construction industry, sources said on Tuesday.

It is traditional for construction activity to slow in April and remain under pressure in the Punjab and and Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK) until August. Daily dispatches have reduced to 60,000t from around 80,000t, one north-based cement producer told the International News of Pakistan.

A sharp fall in demand and the resultant over supply has resulted in a price depreciation of PKR20-25/bag for different brands, the sources said, adding that the current decline is fuelled by excessive power outages, which is hampering construction activity in the North Zone.