Pakistan September export volumes ahead

Pakistan achieved double-digit rises in both export volumes and revenue in September compared to the month before, data from the Bureau of Statistics shows.

Exports during September 2013 totalled  919,150t on revenues of US$52.41m compared to 765,917t at US$45.30 in August. This translates into a 20.1 per cent rise in terms of volumes and 15.71 per cent increment in foreign exchange revenue.

On a YoY basis, volumes rose by 9.87 per cent compared to 836,585t in September 2012, but the value in US dollar terms declined by 4.58 per cent over the same period.

Total exports for the July-September period reached 2.539Mt at US$149.21m compared to 2.283Mt at US$146.49m a year earlier, up 11.24 and 1.86 per cent in volume and dollar value, respectively, compared to the same quarter of the previous fiscal.

In terms of Pakistan currency, exports rose by 1093 per cent to PKR15.354bn in July-September. However, the average export price of cement fell by 8.43 per cent to US$58.75/t from US$64.16/t in July-September 2012.

However, a spokesperson of the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturer Association (APCMA) said cement exports to India has declined due to lower demand. Export to Afghanistan also fell due to the uncertainty prevailing as US and Nato troops plant to withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.