Record-low cement costs in Pakistan

Over the past week, Pakistan has seen a significant drop in the retail price of cement across the country. According to the latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the average retail price of cement per sack in the northern regions was Rs 1232 in the week ending January 18. This reflects a decrease of 0.53 per cent compared to the previous week, when the average retail price was Rs 1238 per sack. Similarly, the average retail price of cement per bag during the same period in the southern regions of the country was recorded at Rs 1188, which shows a decrease of 0.27% compared to the previous week when it was Rs 1191 per bag. The regional breakdown further shows different prices, with cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Faisalabad reporting varying figures between Rs 1,199 to Rs 1,280 per sack. Additionally, the average retail prices per bag in southern cities including Karachi and Hyderabad range from Rs 1,172 to Rs 1,180. Other cities like Sukkur, Larkana, Quetta, and Khuzdar also exhibited different price points over the period.