Total cement dispatches in Pakistan reached approximately 3.07 million t in May 2014, up 6.3% on last year’s 2.9 million t. On the domestic market alone, dispatches grew from 2.1 million t in May 2013 to 2.3 million t in May of this year. However, export volumes declined, falling by 3.4% y/y to 759 000 t.
For the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches increased by 1.7% y/y to 31.05 million t. Exports contracted by 3.4% y/y during the period but sales on the national market improved by 3.3% y/y to reach 23.6 million t.
According to officials from Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue, the government is likely to raise the federal excise duty (FED) on cement by some Rs.100/t in the upcoming budget.
The Pakistani government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) has provided a boost to the construction sector and helped to increase cement sales throughout the country.