Cement sales in Pakistan have dropped for the 11th straight month, with a 6.81% decrease in July 2024. According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, total cement dispatches were 3.010 million tons in July 2024, down from 3.230 million tons in July 2023.
Local cement dispatches fell by 11.41%, with 2.463 million tons sold in July 2024 compared to 2.780 million tons in July 2023. However, exports increased by 21.65%, rising from 449,792 tons in July 2023 to 547,162 tons in July 2024.
In July 2024, North-based cement mills dispatched 2.192 million tons, a decline of 11.40% from 2.474 million tons in July 2023. South-based mills dispatched 817,799 tons, an 8.20% increase from 755,824 tons in July 2023.
Domestic dispatches by North-based mills were 2.093 million tons in July 2024, down 11.01% from 2.352 million tons in July 2023. South-based mills dispatched 369,557 tons in local markets, a 13.62% decrease from 427,847 tons in July 2023.
Exports from North-based mills dropped by 18.79%, from 121,814 tons in July 2023 to 98,920 tons in July 2024. In contrast, South-based mills saw a 36.67% increase in exports, from 327,977 tons in July 2023 to 448,242 tons in July 2024.
The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association highlighted that higher taxes and rising input costs are significantly impacting the cement sector. They urged the government to review its taxation policies to ease the burden on this crucial industry. The spokesman noted that despite supporting the government’s documentation drive, forcing small retailers to register in a complicated sales tax system is unlikely to generate additional revenue, as the sales tax on consumer prices is already paid by manufacturers.
