Pakistan: Cement exports rise to 0.53Mt in March

The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) has welcomed the news that cement exports rose to 0.53Mt in March 2016, up 20.6 per cent YoY.

Exports have risen for two months in a row, bringing to an end a long run of disappointing figures, including a YoY fall of 34 per cent in September 2015. Despite the present turnaround, exports for the year to March are down 19 per cent on the preceding 12 months.

The Nation reports APCMA Chairman, Muhammad Ali Tabba, as stating that the industry has full faith in the economy of the country and it has kept on increasing its capacity on regular basis, while further increase in capacity to the tune of around 26,000tpd is expected to be available after the commencement of DG Khan, Lucky, Cherat and Attock Cement expansions.

He said that despite utilization of around 95 per cent capacity the industry is being accused of not using their idle capacity and of forming a cartel to keep the rates high.