Cement dispatches fall 6.83% in September

LAHORE: Cement dispatches have dropped to 4.276 million tonnes in September 2022 as against 4.589 million tonnes during the same month of the last year, showing a decline of 6.83 per cent, according to the data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association.

The local cement dispatches during the last month were 3.80 million tonnes, compared with 4.01 million tonnes in September 2021, showing a decline of 5.33 per cent. The exports also declined 17.35 per cent, as the volumes reduced to 472,437 tonnes in September 2022 from 571,613 tonnes in September 2021.

In September 2022, the North-based mills dispatched 3.26 million tonnes cement, showing a decline of 8.34 per cent against 3.56 million tonnes dispatched in September 2021. The South-based mills dispatched 1.01 million tonnes cement during September 2022, 1.58 per cent less, compared with the dispatches of 1.02 million tonnes during September 2021.

The North-based mills dispatched 3.13 million tonnes cement in the domestic market in September, showing a decline of 9.08 per cent against 3.45 million tonnes in September 2021.The South-based mills dispatched 666,595 tonnes in the local market during September that was 17.47 per cent higher, compared with the dispatches of 567,445 tonnes in September 2021.

The exports from the North-based mills increased 14.75 per cent, as the quantities increased to 126,502 tonnes in September 2022 from 110,245 tonnes in September 2021.

The exports from the South reduced 25.02 per cent to 345,935 tonnes in September 2022 from 461,368 tonnes during the same month last year.

During the first three months of the current fiscal year, the total cement dispatches (domestic and exports) stood at 9.613 million tonnes, 25.04 per cent lower than 12.825 million tonnes dispatched during the corresponding period of t7he last fiscal year.

The domestic dispatches during the period under review were 8.599 million tonnes against 11.279 million tonnes during the same period of the last year, showing a reduction of 23.76 per cent.

The exports were also 34.44 per cent less, as the volumes reduced to 1.013 million tonnes during the first three months of the current fiscal year, compared with 1.545 million tonnes during the same period of the last fiscal year.

The North-based mills dispatched 7.258 million tonnes cement domestically during the first three months of the current fiscal year, showing a reduction of 23.46 per cent, compared with 9.483 million tonnes during July-September 2021.

The exports from the North declined 25.53 per cent to 288,712 tonnes during July-September 2022, compared with 387,667 tonnes in the same period of the last year.

The total dispatches by the North-based mills reduced 23.54 per cent to 7.547 million tonnes in the first quarter of the current financial year from 9.871 million tonnes during the same period of the last financial year.

The domestic dispatches by the South-based mills during July-September 2022 stood at 1.341 million tonnes, showing a reduction of 25.31 per cent over 1.795 million tonnes dispatched during the same period of the last fiscal year.

The exports from South declined 37.43 per cent to 724,682 tonnes in July-September 2022, compared with 1.158 million tonnes exported during the same period of the last year.

The total dispatches by the South-based mills reduced 30.06 per cent to 2.065 million tonnes during the first quarter of the current financial year from 2.953 million tonnes during the same period of the last financial year.

A spokesman for APCMA expressed concerns over the delay in the opening of letters of credit (LCs) for spare parts and other machinery.

The government must immediately relax the conditions for opening the letters of credit, as without spare parts, the cement factories will face difficulties in running their operations.

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