Pakistan: According to the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) Pakistan’s cement exports continued to decline in October 2017. Exports fell by 14.6% month-on-month to 443,000t, due in part to higher domestic cement consumption. However the APCMA stated that falling exports were a concern while some Pakistani cement capacity remains idle.
The largest fall in exports was via sea, rather than overland exports to immediate neighbours. This was despite the northern part of the country, closest to India and Afghanistan, consuming 3.14Mt of cement. This is the first time that the region has consumed more than 3Mt in a single month. In October 2016 the north of Pakistan consumed 2.5Mt of cement. In the south, demand also increased from 0.52Mt in October 2016 to 0.63Mt in October 2017.