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Cement sector posted a domestic growth of 3.86 percent in first seven months of current fiscal

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Cement sector posted a domestic growth of 3.86 percent in first seven months of current fiscal
By
News Desk
-
February 6, 2020
IMG306Cement.jpg

February 6, 2020: Cement sector continued to post growth in the month of January as its total despatches increased to 4.074 million tons, an increase of 11.26 percent from 3.662 million tons during the same month last year.

As per the data released by All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers’ Association (APCMA) domestic consumption increased by 5.95 percent to 3.265 million tons in January 2020 from 3.082 million tons in January 2019 while the exports registered another impressive increase of 39.49 percent from 0.579 million tons in January 2019 to 0.808 million tons in January 2020.

A very interesting situation has developed in the cement sector as domestic growth is entirely led by the North based plants while the exports are led by mills based in South. North based mills despatched 2.684 million tons locally was almost 11.32 percent higher than the despatches of 2.371 million tons during the corresponding month of last fiscal. In exports the North based mills continued to show decline as exports fell by 13.55 percent with exports of 0.186 million tons in January 2020 compared with exports of 0.215 million tons in January 2019.

It was the other way around in the Southern region of the country where the domestic consumption declined appreciably by 18.23 percent from 0.711 million tons in January 2019 to 0.581 million tons in January 2020. The exports however surged by 70.84 percent to 0.623 million tons from 0.364 million tons in January 2019.

In the first seven month of this fiscal the cement despatches in the country increased by 7.15 percent to 28.824 million tons against 26.900 million tons dispatched during the same period last year. The domestic consumption registered an increase of only 3.86 percent to 23.638 million tons that was 22.759 million tons in the same period last year while exports increased by over 25.23 percent to 5.186 million tons from 4.141 million tons in the same period last year.

The phenomenon of cement exports being more than local despatches has strengthened for South based mills as the local despatches have sharply declined in the region by 26.05 percent from 4.798 million tons in first seven months of last fiscal to 3.548 million tons during same period. The bright spot for the industry is growth in exports from South which surged by 46.18 percent to 3.579 million tons during the period under review from 2.448 million tons same period last year.

North based mills despatched 20.090 million tons locally during the first seven months of current fiscal that was 11.85 percent higher than the despatches of 17.960 million tons during the corresponding months of last fiscal. In exports the North based mills continued to show decline by 5.08 percent with exports of 1.606 million tons in January 2020 compared with exports of 1.692 million tons in January 2019.

“Though the less than expected and nominal increase in the cement despatches and continuous decline in local despatches from South is worrisome for the industry, the increase in exports depicts the competitiveness of our cement industry that has delivered in line with the decline in rupee value,” said the spokesperson of APCMA.

He appealed to the government to start working on the housing schemes and other construction activities as many job opportunities in not only the cement sector but the whole construction industry are on the line in the current economic scenario.

Currently, the cement production capacity reached 69.54 million tons, while domestic despatches would be around 41 million tons, leaving a huge surplus of 28.54 million tons. Therefore, it is imperative that consumption of cement increases to cover the huge surplus and save the industry form total collapse.

“Both North and South based mills were established specifically for domestic consumption and exports are just a bonus. Without surge in exports many mills in the South would have faced trouble affecting the job opportunities in the region,” he added.



Press Release
 
Hain what????? Harvard graduate economists and world renowned economy experts on PDF said everything is doom and gloom. This must be fake news.
 
It is better to read the news first and then comment. Rather then commenting and than reading.

QUOTE:

He appealed to the government to start working on the housing schemes and other construction activities as many job opportunities in not only the cement sector but the whole construction industry are on the line in the current economic scenario.

UNQUOTE:
 
Cement hunger games
By BR Research on February 7, 2020
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Growing capacity and falling demand makes collusion difficult. This is why cement manufacturers have been quick to race to the market to expend excess cement they are producing (read more: “Over-capacity, under-pressure!" Dec 27, 2019). Surge of supply without demand meeting it results in price pressures, and that is what has transpired. Cement prices have on average fallen by Rs85 per cement bag since July 2019 and between Rs140 and Rs150 in some locations north of the country. In percentage terms, cement prices have come down 5 to 25 percent between Jul-19 and Jan-20.

Competition is tougher in the north zone as more cement plants have been added to the total capacity count. About 8.5 million tons were added since November. In total, by the fiscal year end, the cement industry would have added 12 million tons to its capacity. Bigger players have the advantage of efficiency and wider networks, which allows them to keep market share consistent or even grow. Others have to make do.

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The industry is currently operating at 78 percent capacity utilization – at a cement capacity of 59.43 million tons. When 12 million tons are added, it would bring capacity utilization down to 66 percent given current demand trends. This is a legitimate fear of the industry association itself. which is hoping that government spending in infrastructure will revive.

While cement manufacturers in the south zone are able to sell off intermediate product clinker to overseas market—facing drying out demand for cement abroad—north zone players mostly have domestic markets to rely upon. The increase in exports to Afghanistan have only filled the void that the Indian market shutting down created a few months ago when political tensions resurfaced.

There is no winning play here. Low-margin exports is not an avenue that is doing too well though evidently, they have taken on a much larger share now in total sales as before (18% compared to 15%). Even though sales in the north registered double-digit growth, the recovery does not seem sustainable either. Price competition points toward tensions only growing.

The industry requires a new play for exporting markets to provide them with a contingency plan. This is also where they can be most proactive. In the domestic markets, they must wait for projects like Naya Pakistan Housing Program (NPHP) to break ground and initiate construction. This might take another few months to truly materialize.

https://www.brecorder.com/2020/02/07/568718/cement-hunger-games/
 
It is better to read the news first and then comment. Rather then commenting and than reading.

QUOTE:

He appealed to the government to start working on the housing schemes and other construction activities as many job opportunities in not only the cement sector but the whole construction industry are on the line in the current economic scenario.

UNQUOTE:
Awwwww poor patwari filth couldn't bear some piece of good news about Pak. Go eat a donkey.
 
Awwwww poor patwari filth couldn't bear some piece of good news about Pak. Go eat a donkey.

Does any sensible post comes out of your behind.

You it seems are also one of IK's failed project. He banged wrong end of the lady.
 
Does any sensible post comes out of your behind.

You it seems are also one of IK's failed project. He banged wrong end of the lady.
Baqwas na kar rundi ki nasal, Maryam Nawaz ke peshaab pe palnay walay
 
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