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Cement production up 7.24% in April

May, 17 2005

Cement production up 7.24% in April (New Delhi, India) Cement production clocked a 7.24 per cent rise in April, 2005 at 11.41 million tonnes as against 10.49 million tonne in the year ago month. Despatches grew by 9.25 per cent to 11.46 mt from 10.49 mt during the monthly review period, Cement Manufacturers Association said in its latest updates. Export posted a 20 per cent growth in April this year to 0.48 mt from 0.4 mt in the same month last year. However, export of clinker showed a decline of 12.24 per cent to 0.43 mt from 0.49 mt in the review period. The cement industry's capacity stood at 152.09 mt at the beginning of the new fiscal 2005-06. Closing stock at the end of April 2005 stood at 0.97 mt while closing clinker stood at 4.37 mt last month. Industry capacity utilisation stood at 90 per cent last month as against 87 per cent in the corresponding period previous year. During 2004-05, 33 per cent of the total despatches were carried through rail route, one per cent below than 2003-04. In the variety-wise category, domestic industry produced 48 per cent of PPC and 43 per cent of OPC in 2004-05. The production growth stood at seven per cent during the last fiscal along with six per cent consumption growth during the period. "The cement consumption growth was mainly brought down by two per cent negative growth recorded by Southern region and a three per cent downward cement consumption growth in the major agricultural state - Punjab," said a commodity expert. Delay in July rainfall also reduced rural demand for cement last year.