Cement firms clock 6.7% growth output in Jan

Cement output rose 6.69 per cent to 10.2 million tonne in the month of January this year, compared with an output of 9.56 million tonne in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the latest reports by the Cement Manufacturer's Association.

Cement despatches in the month were at 10.2 million tonne, an increase of 5.75 per cent, over 9.64 million tonne in the corresponding month of the previous year.

During the April- January period, the output recorded a 5.1 per cent increase at 95.8 million tonne, against an output of 91.15 million tonne in the same period of 2002-03.

Despatches in the ten-month period also increased 4.97 per cent to 95.53 million tonne from 91.01 million tonne in the corresponding ten-month period of the previous year.

Cement production in January was was 1.4 per cent higher than production in December 2003 at 10.06 million tonne, while the despatches figure in January, 2004 was 2.5 per cent higher than 9.95 million tonne in December, 2003.

Cement despatches of the country's four largest cement makers - The Associated Cement Companies, Larsen & Toubro, Gujarat Ambuja Cements and the Aditya Birla group major Grasim Industries, also increased in the month of January, compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.