LAHORE: Cement sector posted the highest-ever monthly growth of 44.39 percent in March 2021, due to massive increase in domestic consumption as well as exports. Total cement despatches during March 2021, were 5.373 million tons against 3.722 million tons despatched during the same month of last fiscal year.

According to the data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local cement despatches in the month of March 2021, were 4.563 million tons showing a healthy increase of 41.96 percent compared to 3.214 million tons in March 2020. Exports also increased significantly by 59.80 percent, from 507,480 tons in March 2020, to 810,962 tons in March 2021.

During March 2021, the cement mills in North despatched 3.809 million tons cement to local markets against 2.749 million tons in March 2020 registering an increase of 38.52 percent. South based mills despatched 753,704 tons cement in domestic markets which was 62.28 percent higher than 464,440 tons cement despatched in March 2020.

Exports from North based mills registered an enormous increase of 162.58 percent as the volumes increased from 106,759 tons in March 2020, to 280,330 tons in March 2021. Exports from South increased by 32.42 percent to 530,632 tons in March 2021, from 400,721 tons during the same month last year, the data added.

During the first nine months of this fiscal year, total cement despatches (domestic and exports) were 43.325 million tons that was 16.99 percent higher than 37.035 million tons of cement despatched during the corresponding period of last fiscal year.

During July 2020 to March 2021, local despatches increased by 18.29 percent to 36.182 million tons from 30.588 million tons during July 2019 to March 2020. Exports increased from 6.447 million tons during July 2019 to March 2020, to 7.144 million tons during July 2020 to March 2021, showing a growth of 10.80 percent.

During the first nine months of the current fiscal year, North based mills despatched 30.629 million tons of cement for domestic consumption that was 17.75 percent higher compared to the despatches during the same period last fiscal that stood at 26.012 million tons. Exports from North were 1.911 million tons showing a decline of 0.22 percent over exports of 1.915 million tons during the same period of last fiscal year.

South based mills despatched 5.552 million tons in the domestic market during the first nine months of the current fiscal year which was 21.36 percent higher than 4.575 million tons despatched during the corresponding period of last fiscal year. The exports from South were 5.232 million tons registering an increase of 15.46 percent over exports of 4.531 million tons during the same period last year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021