All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) has released dispatches data for 6MFY18-19, which shows mixed sales.

Local dispatches contracted and export swelled during July-Dec 2018. Domestic cement dispatches declined in the first six months of FY18-19 by 1.4 per cent as compared to same period last year, which is the first drop in the last nine years. However, a surge in exports of 48 per cent in the first six months of this financial year, when compared to last year, increased the total dispatches by 3.9 per cent.

According to a spokesman of the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), out of total cement sales of 23.11Mt in the first six months of this financial year, domestic sales accounted for over 19.557Mt and the rest were exports.

He said domestic cement consumption in the north declined by six per cent from 16.455Mt in July-Dec 2017 to 15.475Mt in July-Dec 2018. In contrast, cement consumption in south increased by 20.7 per cent from 3.382Mt in first six months of FY17-18 to 4.082Mt this fiscal.

Mills in the south of the country saw an increase of 242.8 per cent in exports from 0.608Mt in July-Dec 2017 to 2.084Mt in July-Dec 2018. Exports, however declined in the north by 17.9 per cent from 1.797Mt in July-Dec 2017 to 1.476Mt in July-Dec 2018.

In December 2018 alone, the cement industry dispatched 3.865Mt of cement, which was 3.6 per cent more than 3.729Mt of cement dispatched during the corresponding month of last year. Total domestic dispatches in the month fell from 3.403Mt in December 2017 to 3.274Mt last month, representing a decrease of 3.8 per cent. However, exports continued to grow and rose by 80.8 per cent from 0.327Mt in December 2017 to 0.594Mt in December 2018.

APCMA expressed the hope that the government would consider to start development projects to boost domestic cement consumption and employment in the construction sector.