In March 2025, Pakistan’s cement industry experienced a decline, with total despatches dropping by 9.48% to 3.569 million tonnes compared to 3.944 million tonnes in March 2024.
According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), local dispatches took a significant hit, declining by 11.31% to 2.961 million tonnes, down from 3.338 million tonnes last year. Meanwhile, exports remained relatively stable, increasing slightly to 608,614 tonnes from 605,142 tonnes. The data, released on Saturday, highlights the challenges faced by the sector during this month.
Regionally, North-based mills saw a steep 14.54% drop, despatching 2.450 million tonnes compared to 2.866 million tonnes in March 2024. Domestic sales were down 11.33% to 2.431 million tonnes. Exports from the North cratered 85.15% to 18,508 tonnes.
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South-based mills bucked the trend slightly, up 3.96% to 1.12 million tonnes, driven by a 22.82% export surge to 590,106 tonnes, though local sales dipped 11.23% to 529,750 tonnes. “Cement’s vital to jobs and industries,” an APCMA spokesperson said, pinning hopes on budget relief to spur demand.
For July-March 2025, total despatches slipped 1.48% to 33.993 million tonnes from 34.503 million tonnes last year. Domestic sales fell 6.61% to 27.461 million tonnes, but exports jumped 28.08% to 6.532 million tonnes. North Mills saw a 5.96% domestic drop to 22.791 million tonnes, with exports up 7.76% to 1.12 million tonnes. South mills’ domestic despatches fell 9.63% to 4.669 million tonnes, while exports soared 33.28% to 5.419 million tonnes. The industry’s resilience shines through exports, but local woes linger.
