Cement exports reached all time high level of 2.7 million tons recording a jump of 105 percent during July-May period of the current fiscal year against 1.3 million tons during the same period of the last fiscal year due to increasing demand in Dubai and Afghanistan, industry sources said on Saturday.
They said that the reconstruction process in Afghanistan and fast development work in Dubai have given rise to cement demand manifold. "We are expecting that export to India will resume after issuance of quality certificates by Indian Standers Bureau in the next fiscal year," an exporter said.
Pakistani cement price is the lowest in South Asian region, besides being of better quality, he said. Statistics show that during May 2007 country's cement export mounted by 125.46 percent to 348,634 tons as compared to 151,972 tons during the same period of last fiscal year, denoting an increase of 196,662 tons during May 2007.
May 2007 total cement dispatches reached all time high level of 2.283 million tons during one month. Earlier, in May 2006 dispatches during one month amounted to 2.281 million tons. The local and export dispatches have increased due to major stimulus of growth including improved infrastructure and increased construction activities along with reduction in cement prices, industry sources said.