LAHORE: The country’s cement export decreased over 25 per cent to 2.56 million tons during first five months of the current fiscal year (July-Nov) from 3.45 million tons of the same period of last year.
The north based cement mills dispatched 10.17 million tons to domestic markets during July to November 2015 that was 14.6 per cent higher than the dispatches during same period of last fiscal. Exports from north however declined during this period to 1.63 million tons ie by 25.24 percent over last fiscal that were 2.18 million tons.
In southern region, the cement mills experienced even more growth in domestic markets as against dispatches of 1.69 million tons during July to November 2014, the domestic dispatches increased by 21.09 percent to 2.04 million tons. However there was a definite slump in exports that declined by 26.58 percent to 0.93 million tons from 1.26 million tons during the corresponding period last year.
The upward trend in domestic consumption of cement this fiscal continued in 5th straight month; at the same time exports continued to lose global markets. Cement dispatches to domestic markets during the month of November 2015 were 2.843 million tons compared with 2.369 million tons during same month last year showing an increase of 20%. Exports during November 2015 were 0.533 million tons against 0.66 million tons during November, 2014 showing decline of 19%.