Pakistan achieved record domestic dispatches in the fiscal year 2012-13 (July-June) as sales crossed the 25Mt mark, 1.1Mt higher than last year’s 23.95Mt. Stagnant exports, however, held back the sector’s overall full-year performance.

Accumulated data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) showed that total dispatches during the fiscal (including exports) reached 33.43Mt, representing YoY growth of 2.82 per cent. Domestic dispatches accounted for 25.06Mt while 8.37Mt was exported. Total dispatches remained lower than the record 34.22Mt witnessed in FY2009-10, during which year exports were 10.65Mt during the year and loca sales were 23.57Mt.

Industry capacity in FY12-13 stood at 44.642Mt and capacity utilisation for the year was 74.68 per cent.

An APCMA spokesperson said that the increase in domestic sales is encouraging for cement manufacturers as capacities had been enhanced to cater for local needs. He hoped that in the current fiscal would usher higher productivity as the new government is committed to infrastructure development and accelerating economic growth. He said that with the correct planning and prudent economic policies, Pakistan has the ability to absorb the country’s entire installed cement capacity.