Pakistan July dispatches decline

Pakistan dispatches in the first month of the current fiscal saw a decline of 1.64 per cent compared to July 2011, according to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).

Domestic dispatches were down by 1.47 per cent in July 2011 to 2.05Mt compared to 2.02Mt in 2011.

However, the decline in exports was steeper at 9.23 per cent to 755,010t from 831,785t in July 2011. Exports to Afghanistan dropped by 10.37 per cent to 455,897t while exports to India were down 12.77 per cent to 54,233t and exports to other destinations via sea fell 244,880t.

A spokesperson for APCMA also said that the electricity crisis and rains badly affected domestic markets in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.