Pakistan cement exports jump on strong overseas demand in Jan

Pakistan's cement and clinker exports rose 55.6% month over month and 50.2% year over year in January, driven by robust overseas demand and a continuing reliance on export markets to offset subdued domestic consumption, according to the latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

Shipments rose to 873,298 metric tons in January, valued at $33.55 million, compared with 561,425 mt valued at $22.03 million in the month prior, the data showed. In terms of value, exports were up 52.3% month over month in January.

Pakistani exporters continued to target key overseas markets, with the bulk of shipments heading toward Afghanistan, followed by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, the UAE and Kenya, along with smaller consignments to other destinations, the statistics data showed.

Pakistani cement producers continue to rely heavily on exports to maintain capacity utilization, while competitive pricing from suppliers in Vietnam, the Middle East and India poses a challenge to defending market share, traders in Southeast Asia said.

During the first seven months of fiscal year 2026 (July-June), Pakistan's cement and clinker exports reached 5.29 million mt, up slightly from 5.27 million mt in the same period a year prior, while export proceeds rose 9.9% during the same period to $206.72 million, the data showed.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed cement (ASTM type I) FOB Vietnam at $38.50/mt on Feb. 19, up from $38/mt in the week prior. Platts assessed cement clinker FOB Vietnam at $34/mt, stable over the same period.