The Pakistan cement sector experienced sales growth in July-December 2017 with total dispatches reaching 22.24Mt from 19.8Mt in the year-ago period, reports Business Recorder. In the final six months of 2017, domestic consumption reached 19.83Mt which is an increase from 16.89Mt in the corresponding period of the previous year.

However, the decline in exports has continued with a drop of 17.3 per cent YoY to 2.4Mt from the 2.91Mt recorded in 2H16.

Cement plants in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached 16.45Mt in local dispatches in 2H17, an 18.1 per cent rise on the 13.93Mt seen in 2H16. Local cement dispatches from units in Sindh and Balochistan also increased by 14.1 per cent YoY to 3.382Mt (2H16: 2.96Mt).