Pakistan: Exports fall 24% in first nine months of 2015/16

Pakistan’s cement exports fell during 9MFY2016 on a YoY basis dropping by 24.4 per cent in volume terms and 28.9 per cent in US dollar values.

Figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show that the country exported 4.6Mt of cement, earning revenue of US$248m during July-Mar 2016. This was down from the 6.0Mt exported in the corresponding period a year earlier. Average prices also fell, dropping 6.1 per cent to US$54.48/t.

The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers' Association reported that exports to Afghanistan during 9MFY2016 fell by 7.7 per cent to 1.9Mt, but exports to India grew 19.1 per cent to 0.60Mt. However, exports to the rest of the world fell by over 34 per cent.

The PBS figures suggest that exports are already beginning to recover: the data for March 2016 show volumes up 19.9 per cent YoY to 0.45Mt. Due to lower prices, the value of exports rose more slowly in March: it was up 13.6 per cent YoY to US$25m.