Cement sales jumped 14 per cent to 16.26 million tonnes (mt) in May against 14.20 mt registered in the same period last year, according to the Cement Manufacturers Association.
This was largely due to pick up in demand before the monsoon sets in and lower base last year. Production was up 14 per cent at 16.20 mt (14.27 mt) in May.
The all-India capacity utilisation in May improved to 79 per cent against 74 per cent recorded in the same period last year. Utilisation in the southern States (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala) was lowest at 67 per cent against 61 per cent in the same period last year.
The northern region (Delhi, Uttarkhand, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh) registered the highest at 89 per cent against 74 per cent last year.
Installed cement production capacity of the country increased to 307.6 mt with the addition of seven lakh tonnes by Century Textiles.
In the first two months of this fiscal, sales were up 11 per cent at 31.76 mt (28.58 mt) while production increased 12 per cent at 32.21 mt (28.87 mt).