Key Takeaways
- Total cement dispatches increased by 11.14% in April 2026 to 3.890 million tons.
- Local cement sales jumped more than 20%, showing stronger demand inside Pakistan.
- Exports fell sharply by 18.22% in April, mainly due to weaker overseas dispatches.
- North-based mills led domestic growth, while South-based mills remained dominant in exports.
- The cement industry is looking toward the federal budget for policies that improve competitiveness.
Local Demand Drives April Cement Growth
Pakistan’s cement industry posted a stronger performance in April 2026 as local demand helped lift total dispatches despite a sharp fall in exports. According to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, total industry dispatches reached 3.890 million tons during the month, compared with 3.500 million tons in April 2025. This shows an increase of 11.14%, reflecting a clear improvement in overall sales activity.
The main support came from the domestic market. Local cement dispatches rose to 3.217 million tons in April 2026, up 20.17% from 2.677 million tons in the same month last year. This growth suggests that construction demand inside Pakistan remained active, especially in regional markets served by both North and South-based mills.
However, the improvement was not balanced across all segments. Export dispatches dropped 18.22%, falling from 823,032 tons in April 2025 to 673,058 tons in April 2026. This decline reduced the overall benefit of stronger local sales and showed that external demand remains vulnerable to regional and global conditions.
North-Based Mills Lead Domestic Dispatches
North-based cement mills remained the major driver of domestic sales during April. These mills dispatched 2.662 million tons in local markets, compared with 2.251 million tons in April 2025. The increase of 18.25% highlights the strong role of the northern region in meeting Pakistan’s internal cement demand.
No exports were recorded from northern mills during the month, which means their entire April performance came from local markets. Total dispatches from North-based mills also reached 2.662 million tons, showing an overall rise of 12.52% from 2.365 million tons a year earlier. This indicates that the region’s recovery was mainly linked to domestic construction activity rather than overseas sales.
The northern market is closely linked with housing, infrastructure and public development activity. When local demand improves, North-based mills usually benefit quickly because of their large domestic footprint.
South-Based Mills See Mixed Performance
South-based mills also reported strong local growth in April, but their export performance remained under pressure. Local dispatches from the South reached 555,104 tons, up 30.35% from 425,869 tons in April 2025. This was a notable increase and showed that domestic buying improved in the region as well.
Exports from South-based mills declined by 5.01% to 673,058 tons, compared with 708,565 tons in the same month last year. Since no exports were recorded from northern mills, the entire export volume for April came from the South. This makes the region important for Pakistan’s cement trade, especially through ports and overseas markets.
Total dispatches from southern mills stood at 1.228 million tons in April 2026, up 8.26% from 1.134 million tons last year. The figures show a mixed picture: domestic demand improved strongly, but weaker exports limited the overall gain. For southern producers, export competitiveness remains a key concern.
Ten-Month Dispatches Show Broader Recovery
The wider fiscal year picture remained positive. During the first ten months of the current fiscal year, total cement dispatches reached 42.396 million tons, including both domestic sales and exports. This was 9.83% higher than the 38.600 million tons dispatched during the same period of the previous fiscal year.
Domestic dispatches during July 2025 to April 2026 totaled 34.785 million tons, up 11.33% from 31.244 million tons last year. This confirms that local demand has been the stronger side of the cement market. Export dispatches also increased over the ten-month period, rising 3.47% to 7.611 million tons.
North-based mills dispatched 29.014 million tons domestically in the ten-month period, showing a 12.56% increase. Their exports fell 35.39% to 797,679 tons. South-based mills dispatched 5.771 million tons locally, while their exports increased 11.31% to 6.813 million tons.
Budget Policies Could Shape Industry Outlook
The cement industry is now looking toward the coming months with cautious optimism. An APCMA spokesperson said the sector expects an improvement in the geopolitical environment, which could support the global economy and reduce uncertainty in energy markets. For cement manufacturers, energy prices remain one of the biggest cost pressures.
The association also expressed hope that industry-friendly measures in the upcoming federal budget would improve competitiveness. This could include steps related to taxation, energy costs, freight and export support. Any relief in these areas may help cement producers compete more effectively in regional markets.
For Pakistan, the latest cement data carries a wider economic signal. Stronger domestic sales can point toward better construction activity, but falling monthly exports show that global demand cannot be taken for granted. The industry’s next phase will depend on local development spending, export stability and budget policy.
