Pakistan cement exports down 11%

Cement exports from Pakistan in December 2017 fell 11.3 per cent to 328,000t from 369,000t in the year-ago period, according to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers’ Association (APCMA).

Between July-December 2017, cement exports declined by 17.3 per cent rom 2.911Mt to 2.406Mt. Exports from southern-based mills were particularly affected as they were reduced by 36.2 per cent from 0.953Mt in July 2016 to 0.608Mt in July-December 2017. Northern mills saw their exports decline by 8.1 per cent to 1.799Mt from 1.958Mt in July-December 2016.

Industry sources said that exports have been affected by the high cost of doing business but also by high duties and taxes on exports, eroding the domestic industry’s ability to compete in the global market.