According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, cement dispatches during the first four months of the current fiscal year came to 11.398 million t. This is an increase of 3.79% from the previous year.

Domestic sales came to 9.37 million t, compared to 8.192 million t between July and October 2014, representing an increase of 14.38%. This is the fastest growth in eight years.

Exports, on the other hand, decreased by 27.31% from the same period in 2014, dropping from 2.79 million t last year, to 2.028 million t.

Regionally, north-based mills sold 13.65% more to domestic markets than in the same period in 2014, but saw a 25.85% decrease in exports. The southern region witnessed a growth of 18.21% in domestic markets.

Emphasising that 80% of cement sales are dependent on the local market, the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association has appealed to the government to implement measures to stop the illegal smuggling of Iranian cement into the country, as it affects sales significantly. Cement manufacturers are calling for the imposition of a regulatory duty on imported cement bags of up to 20%, in addition to the existing customs duty.