Brecorder reported that Pakistan's cement exports witnessed a healthy growth of 65%, to over 6 million tonnes during 7 months of the current fiscal year mainly due to rise in international demand.

Industry sources said that the region's countries have been facing huge shortage of cement, which played a key role in the higher cement exports during the July to January period of fiscal year 2008-09.

The sources said that although at present the economies of major countries are facing recession, Pakistan's cement sector is still maintaining a healthy growth. However, they expressed fear that with the current meltdown cement exports might be badly hurt in near future, as the demand in the regional countries was expected to decline. Cement export to India has already halted after imposition of duty by Indian authorities.

The statistics of All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association also showed that cement exports had mounted to over 6 million tonnes in 7 months as compared to 3.62 million tonnes of same period of last fiscal year, depicting an increase of 2.38 million tonnes. Cement exports during January 2009 went up by 30% to 0.81 million tonnes as compared to 0.623 million tonnes in January 2008.

However, slow construction activities in the country during the period badly upset domestic sale of cement, which depicted decline of 15%, to 10.77 million tonnes as compared to 12.59 million tonnes of last fiscal year.

On MoM basis, local dispatches of cement during January 2009 showed a decline of 8%, to 1.51 million tonnes from 1.65 million tonnes of January 2008. Overall dispatches, including export and local sales, reached 16.77 million tonnes during July to January of 2008-09 as against 16.20 million tonnes of last fiscal year, depicting an increase of 3%.

(Sourced from www.brecorder.com)