Daily Times

The cement sector posted the highest ever monthly growth of 44.39 percent in March 2021 due to a massive increase in domestic consumption as well as exports. According to a statement issued by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), total cement despatches during March 2021 were 5.373 million tonnes against 3.722 million tonnes despatched during the same month of last fiscal year.

According to the data, local cement despatches in the month of March 2021 were 4.563 million tons showing a healthy increase of 41.96 percent compared to 3.214 million tons in March 2020. Exports also increased significantly by 59.80 percent, from 507,480 tons in March 2020 to 810,962 tons in March 2021.

During March 2021, the cement mills in the north despatched 3.809 million tons of cement to local markets against 2.749 million tons in March 2020 registering an increase of 38.52 percent. The south-based mills despatched 753,704 tons cement in domestic markets which was 62.28 percent higher than 464,440 tons cement despatched in March 2020.

Exports from north-based mills registered an enormous increase of 162.58 percent as the volumes increased from 106,759 tons in March 2020 to 280,330 tons in March 2021. Exports from the South increased by 32.42 percent to 530,632 tons in March 2021 from 400,721 tons during the same month last year. According to the APCMA, during the first nine months of this fiscal year, total cement despatches (domestic and exports) were 43.325 million tons that was 16.99 percent higher than 37.035 million tons of cement despatched during the corresponding period of last fiscal year. During July 20 to March 2021, local despatches increased by 18.29 percent to 36.182 million tons from 30.588 million tons during July 19 to March 2020. Exports increased from 6.447 million tons during July 19 to March, 20 to 7.144 million tons during July 20 to March, 21 periods showing a growth of 10.80 percent, said the APCMA, During the first nine months of the current fiscal year, north based mills despatched 30.629 million tons of cement for domestic consumption that was 17.75 percent higher compared to the despatches during the same period last fiscal that stood at 26.012 million tons. Exports from North were 1.911 million tons showing a decline of 0.22 percent over exports of 1.915 million tons during the same period of last fiscal year.