Pakistan's cement industry is increasingly split between north and south. According to the All-Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), mills in the north exported nothing in July or August 2026. A year earlier they had exported 440,614 tonnes in those two months. Southern producers, by contrast, increased their foreign sales sharply, which kept national cement despatches roughly stable.

Total despatches in August were 4.039m tonnes, 0.70% lower than the 4.068m tonnes recorded in August 2025. Domestic sales fell by 1.07% to 3.283m tonnes from 3.318m. Exports rose by 0.92% to 756,553 tonnes, from 749,683 tonnes a year earlier.

The national figures conceal large regional differences. Northern mills despatched 2.691m tonnes in August, all to the domestic market, down 9.43% from 2.972m tonnes a year earlier. Their local sales alone fell by 2.59% from 2.763m tonnes.

Southern producers performed much better. Their total despatches rose by 22.97% to 1.35m tonnes from 1.096m. Domestic sales in the south increased by 6.53% to 591,164 tonnes, while exports rose by 39.83% to 756,553 tonnes from 541,054 tonnes. As a result, southern mills accounted for all of the country's cement exports in August.

The figures for the first two months of the 2026-27 fiscal year are more positive. Total despatches in July and August reached 8.521m tonnes, 2.80% more than the 8.289m tonnes recorded a year earlier. Domestic demand grew by 8.04% to 7.058m tonnes from 6.533m.

Exports performed less well over the same period. Shipments abroad fell by 16.69% to 1.464m tonnes from 1.757m, mainly because northern exports stopped completely.

Northern mills' domestic sales in July-August rose by 7.98% to 5.784m tonnes from 5.356m tonnes. However, because they had no exports, their total despatches fell slightly, by 0.22%, from 5.797m tonnes.

Southern mills grew in both markets. Their domestic sales rose by 8.28% to 1.274m tonnes from 1.177m, and their exports increased by 11.21% to 1.463m tonnes from 1.316m. Total despatches from the south rose by 9.83% to 2.738m tonnes, compared with 2.493m tonnes a year earlier.

The figures show stronger local demand in both regions, especially over the two-month period. Southern mills now handle all of Pakistan's cement exports. Northern producers, meanwhile, depend entirely on domestic sales, which fell slightly in August.