First four months of current fiscal year: Cement industry registers 8.87 percent growth in local sales

During the first four months of current fiscal year, cement industry has posted a growth of 8.87 percent in local sales compared with sales during same period of last fiscal year. Exports during July to October 2014, recorded a decline by 4.43 percent compared with same period in last year. The overall situation during first four months of current fiscal year showed growth of 5.16 percent compared to the same period of last fiscal year.
Analysing zone wise despatches, the north based mills despatched 6.872 million tons to the domestic markets during July to October 2014, that was 10.4 percent higher than the despatches during same period of last fiscal. Exports from north however declined during this period to 1.742 million tons ie by 12.3 percent over last fiscal year. In southern region, the mills experienced slow growth in domestic markets as against despatches of 1.307 million tons during July-October 2013, the domestic dispatches inched up by only 1.4 percent to 1.325 million tons.
However there was a definite turnaround in exports that increased by 12.5 percent to 1.048 million tons from 0.932 million tons during the corresponding period last year. Cement dispatches to domestic markets during the month of October 2014 were 2.094 million tons compared with 1.973 million tons during same month in last year showing an increase of 6.13 percent.
Exports during October 2014 were 729,000 tons against 676,000 tons during October 2013, showing an increase of 7.87 percent. Total despatches during October 2014 were 2.823 million tons compared to 2.649 million tons during same month in last year showing increase of 6.57 percent.
In October 2014, there was healthy growth in domestic consumption in north and also in exports from north as well as south. The north based mills despatched 1.809 million tons cement for domestic market and 0.464 million tons cement exported against domestic consumption of 1.653 tons and exports of 0.442 million tons during the same month of last fiscal. In south, domestic cement consumption declined to 0.285 million tons against consumption of 0.320 million tons in October 2013. Cement exports from south increased in October 2014 to 0.265 million tons against 0.234 million tons during the same month last year.