LAHORE - The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association has stated that cement industry dispatched 2.77 million tons of cement in Oct, 2012 compared to 2.94 million tons dispatches achieved in the corresponding month of 2011. Disclosing the data for the month of Oct, 2012, a spokesman of the APCMA said that in October 2012 the local cement dispatches was 2.09 million tons increased by 0.19 per cent as compared to cement dispatched in October 2011 i.e. 2.082 million tons.He said in the first four months of this fiscal the total cement dispatches stood at 10.474 million tons which was slightly higher than the total dispatches of 10.436 million tons achieved during corresponding period of last year. He said overall gain in dispatches was only 0.37 percent. The capacity utilisation of the industry during July-October 2012 period stood at 70.19 per cent.He claimed that cement dispatches for the month of October, 2012 declined by 5.87 per cent mainly due to a drastic decline of 20.59 per cent in export of cement while local dispatches show a marginal growth of 0.19 per cent.He said cement exports continued their downward trend in October 2012 as well declining by massive 20.59 percent from the exports achieved in October 2011. During the period from July-October 2012, exports to Afghanistan declined by 9.46 percent to 1.634 million tons. The exports to India, he added, declined by 37.51 percent to 0.158 million tons and exports to other destinations through sea were increased by 2.34 percent to 1.161 million tons.The APCMA Chairman Aizaz Mansoor Sheikh said hype created on trade with India has so far not been materialised and export in that market is well below the expectation of the cement sector. He said after opening of land route it was expected that industry shall be able to export more than 5 million tons cement to India. He appealed the government to engage Indian government on regular basis for the removal of non trade barriers which are hurting cement exports.He urged the government to boost the construction sector through prudent government policies and facilitation, resultantly increase in cement dispatches triggers a chain growth in 42 allied industries. He said the economic revival would not be possible without encouraging the construction activities.