Pakistani cement export dispatches recorded a negative growth of 3.44 percent during the first seven months (July 2016-Jan 2017) of the current fiscal year compared with exports during the same period of last year.
According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, during the month of January 2017, exports to Afghanistan decreased from 0.174 million tons (MT) in January 2016 to 0.166 MT, showing a decline of 4.5 per cent. Exports to India registered a healthy increase from 0.049 MT in January last year to 0.861 MT during the same month this year, showing a growth of 77 per cent. Exports to India are mainly through the Wagah border and the southern coast of India.
The industry has expressed concerns over falling exports to Afghanistan that have declined in the first seven months of this fiscal by 10.88 per cent. They said cement exports to India have registered an increase of 79.34 per cent during July 2016 to January 2017. Export by sea also declined by 19.23 per cent during the first seven months of the current fiscal.