Pakistan's cement export volume rose amid lesser revenue in 2MFY24-25

Pakistan’s cement and clinker exports dropped by 16.9 per cent in the first two months of the current financial year 2024-25 to US$36.70m (992,026t) from US$39.64m (981,400t) in the same period of the previous year, as reported by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). In Pakistani rupee terms, export revenue saw a double-digit fall of 10.7 per cent to PKR10.22bn (US$37.6m). However, export volumes increased by 1.1 per cent YoY in the same period.

The export growth trend from the previous year, attributed to the strong exchange rate of the Pakistani rupee against foreign currency, the decline in coal prices, and other factors, was reversed in FY24-25. 

However, AKD Research anticipates that exports will outperform the previous year. Research analysts at BMA Research expect coal prices to hover around US$100/t, citing reduced global demand for the commodity due to environmental concerns, which may positively impact the cement industry.

In August 2024 export and import data released by PBS revealed that cement and clinker exports registered a MoM growth of 53.3 per cent to US$22.21m from US$14.49m in July 2024. This reflects a 46 per cent volume increase to 588,766t from 403,260t in July 2024.  

Cement exports fell YoY by 5.46 per cent in value from US$23.49m, while the export volume rose by 3.41 per cent compared to August 2023.