According to local reports, cement producers in Pakistan have raised the price of 50 kg bags of cement by some Rs.15 in anticipation of increased construction activity in the country.
Industry insiders said that the new retail price of Lucky Cement’s product is Rs.520 per 50 kg bag and Falcon Cement has increased its prices to approximately Rs.530 – 535. Prices have been rising continuously since July 2013, due to an increase in production costs and the change in the sales tax regime in the 2013 – 2014 budget.
The Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Saleem Kassim Patel, told local press that the government had not yet taken notice of the price hikes and should consider reducing taxes on cement, which would lower construction costs and ultimately benefit the end users.
Cement sales
Pakistani cement sales in July 2013 – January 2014 increased to 14.14 million t, against 13.85 million t in same period of the last fiscal year. Sales in the southern region stood at 388 000 t in January 2014 (compared to a monthly average of 343 000 t during July – December 2013) and sales in the north totalled 1.775 million t (compared to a monthly average of 1.653 million t during July – December 2013).
Edited from various sources by Rosalie Starling