KARACHI: A slowdown in construction operations caused domestic cement sales to drop 4.6% to 38.18 million tonnes in the last FY24 from 40.01 million tonnes in the previous year.
Export dispatches, on the other hand, rose dramatically by 56% to 7.11 million tonnes in FY24 from 4.56 million tonnes in FY23.
Consequently, overall cement dispatches increased by a pitiful 1.60 percent to 45.291 million tonnes, up from 44.58 million tonnes in the previous fiscal year.
The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association’s spokeswoman emphasized the importance of the home market to the cement sector.
He emphasized that lawmakers need to give the 4.6 percent drop in domestic sales during the previous fiscal year careful consideration.
The spokesman noted that customs and taxes on cement must be decreased according to the current circumstances. He did, however, issue a warning, stating that the demand will probably be further stifled by the government’s decision to quadruple the excise charge from Rs2,000 to Rs4,000 in the FY25 budget.
