Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to JK Lakshmi Cement's Quarter and Year Ended 31st March 2025 Earnings Conference Call hosted by PhillipCapital (India) Private Limited. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen only mode and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during the conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star then zero on your touchtone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Vaibhav Agarwal from PhillipCapital (India) Private Limited. Thank you and over to you, Mr. Agarwal.
Thank you, Michelle. Good evening, everyone. On behalf of PhillipCapital (India) Private Limited, we welcome you to the Q4 and FY 2025 call of JK Lakshmi Cement Limited. I need to highlight that JK Lakshmi Cement is also the holding company of its listed entity, Udaipur Cement Works Limited, and therefore this call is also open for discussion about the performance of Udaipur Cement Works Limited. On the call we have with us Mr. Arun Kumar Shukla, President and Director, and Mr. Sudhir Bidkar, CFO at JK Lakshmi Cement. I would like to mention on behalf of JK Lakshmi Cement Limited and its management that certain statements that we made or discussed on this conference call may be forward-looking statements related to future developments and which are based on current management expectations.
These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and other important factors which may cause actual developments and results to differ materially from the statements made. JK Lakshmi Cement Limited and the management of the company assumes no obligation to publicly alter or update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise. I will now hand over the call to the management of JK Lakshmi Cement for their opening remarks to be followed by interactive Q&A. Thank you and over to you, sir.
Thanks, Vaibhav, and good afternoon to all of you. You must have seen our quarter four result and the result for the whole year. So before we take questions and answer, just to give you a very brief about how things have really progressed during this entire year. As you know, industry-wise, quarter one, quarter two was not good because of the reasons all of us know, post-election and then followed by cyclicity, which we have in the cement industry. Things started improving in terms of demand and also in pricing quarter three, latter part quarter three onwards. As we speak today, I think demand wise, yes, things are better than quarter two, better than quarter one even. Going forward also, we see that this year's growth is going to be about 6.5%-7%.
Though our plan is to grow higher than the industry growth this year. This is on a kind of macro situation of the industry. If you look at other drivers of demand, I think post-general election, yes, now traction is increasing in terms of the CapEx which government has announced during this year budget. In fact, we also see traction in other segments like housing, be it rural or urban, and even in industrial and commercial. So demand drivers also look to be better. Initial estimation was that demand will grow by at least 7.5%- 8% rate. But what we estimate is going to be about 6%- 7% or 6.5%- 7%. That is what we see. As an organization, as I said before, I think we have been working on improving efficiency internally.
Of course, on top line part of it and also the cost base or the cost line which we have. On top line, as I had mentioned during last quarter call also that brand rejuvenation exercise now we have completed and the initial indication or the feedback which we have from the market is quite encouraging. The JK Lakshmi Green+ product which we have launched has been received quite well in all markets where we operate. This is a good news for the organization. This brand rejuvenation exercise was all about kind of coming up with a brand with new value proposition, new look and feel with really kind of amenable to customers' requirement. Our premium product also is doing quite well. So JK Lakshmi PRO+ remains to be our flag bearer in terms of our product or the brand proposition to our customers.
So JK Lakshmi PRO+ has been doing quite well and our focus also was there to improve proportion of premium cement in our overall portfolio. Similarly, I think our effort also has been to improve on trade part of it, but as you know that because of this infra growth and other drivers also growing a little fast, non-trade is going to be quite substantial and we don't want to lose that opportunity also. But nevertheless, I think our endeavor was also to improve upon trade percentage and last quarter has been good for us in terms of our trade volume, which stands at about 60%. This is on top line part of it, couple of things which we have done.
On other efficiency part, we have been working on renewable energy, improving our thermal substitution rate, working on supply chain efficiency and particularly on upstream and downstream logistics. All those things we have been working and perhaps I think the way we are progressing, I think I'm quite happy that our direction is all right. Now definitely those things are going to really impact us in terms of the value at the bottom line. This is what I think I just wanted to give you a brief. Now we are open for question and answer. We have already seen our results, so we can take questions whatever it is. Thank you.
Thank you very much, sir. We will now begin with the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask questions may press star and one on their touchtone phone. If you wish to withdraw yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to use only handsets while asking a question. Ladies and gentlemen, we will wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. You may please press star and one to ask questions. The first question is from the line of Amit Murarka from AXIS Capital. Please go ahead.
Yeah. Hi, good evening, and thanks for the opportunity. I just wanted to understand the status on the expansion. First thing is, have equipment orders been placed for the clinker and the grinding units?
The first part, expansion, I think as we told last time that Surat, we are doubling our capacity by another 1.35 million ton. The first phase, we are now taking trials. Right? Soon we are going to commission. Further projects which we mentioned that we are expanding our Durg capacity, putting up a clinkering unit up to then the grinding facility at Durg, and along with that, grinding stations at Prayagraj and Madhubani in Bihar. Everywhere, I think progress has been there. In case of Prayagraj, Madhubani, we have already acquired land and we have started the process like applying for TOR and then public hearing, planning. All those things are happening. In case of Durg, we have already had this public hearing in case of plant and mines. That has already been done.
Now we are waiting for environment clearance from MoEF, which is accepted by the government now. In terms of ordering of equipment and other things, we have already finalized the scope. We have already floated the tender, but as far as ordering of equipment goes, that has not yet been done.
Soon enough, will the orders be placed?
Yeah, we will update you, I think, as soon as that happens. I think we are on track in terms of our activity plan, which we have. Right? Sequentially, we are moving. As I told you, the major hurdle in case of going outside our existing premises, that is land. That we have been successfully acquired land in these two places where we are going to put up our grinding station.
Sure. And what is the latest timeline for these expansions then?
In case of Durg, our timeline is FY 2027. Right? So FY 2027, this is what the plan is.
Okay. And some of the greenfield grinding units will come a bit later, is what I understand.
Yeah. So I think we gave you that already. So greenfield is going to come even before, right? So this is what the plan is.
Right.
Let's say Madhubani. We already had this in a public hearing, right?
Okay.
In case of Prayagraj, we already applied for TOR. Now we'll have the next step, is public hearing. So those activities will happen.
Sure. Assuming that Durg comes at FY 2027 end, in that case, won't you have clinker capacity constraints? I believe you will be at 88% or so utilization on clinker right now.
We have some excess capacity with respect to our grinding capability in this, but not much. Right? Whatever we have, I think we can definitely commission one grinding station to start with.
Sure. I'll come back in the queue. Thank you so much.
Thank you. You may press star and one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Rajesh Ravi from HDFC Securities. Please go ahead.
Hi, sir. Good evening. First, the housekeeping questions. What is the RMC and the non-cement revenues for the quarter?
For the quarter. Just hold on.
How much was the margin for the non-cement revenue?
So INR 151 crore non-cement revenue. Right?
Okay. RMC?
RMC is INR 75 crore.
Okay. What was the margin for the non-trade INR 151 crore, EBITDA margin on the same?
3%.
3%. Okay. Also, what was the fuel cost per kilocal and the green power save in MC trade and non-trade sales? You mentioned 60%.
Yeah. 60% I already mentioned.
Yes.
Last quarter, your fuel cost you are asking, no? It's-
Fuel cost in Q4, yeah.
INR 1.53. INR 1.53 JK Lakshmi, consolidated INR 1.53.
INR 1.53. Blended cement share was how much, sir?
60%.
Green power? 60%, sorry. Green power consol consumption share?
Green power is 50%.
Sorry?
Green power is 50%.
60?
50%.
50%. Okay.
50%.
Okay. Two more questions, sir. If I look at your realization sequentially, it is up by 7%. Is there any change in the product mix or the regional sales mix? Because I see there is a significant jump even in your freight cost versus INR 1,130 odd. This is almost up by INR 80-INR 90 quarter-on-quarter. Was there any geo mix which is why your realization and freight costs both are higher?
As I said that because of demand improvement, I think freight is also better in some geographies.
Little far from our plant because that was making sense to go because of the margin was better, right? That is one. But no, there is no significant change in our geo mix as such. Right.
Why was the freight cost so higher quarter over when diesel prices and all have been? You mentioned that there was some increase in lead distance. Basically, how much was the lead distance then?
Yes. Lead was 393 km last quarter. As you know that we had an outsourced grinding station in U.P. East Amethi. We discontinued that, and we started supplying those markets from our existing plants. That is why lead has gone up, because we are serving those markets. Anyway, we are going to come in that market. Prayagraj is going to come maybe a year down the line, a year and a half down the line. We are still continuing with that market and that supplies are going from our existing plants, and that is why lead has also gone up to an extent.
Okay. Sequentially from 383 km, 393 km, around 10 km, 12 km there was a lead increase.
12 km.
Yeah, 10 km or sequentially.
Yeah.
Okay.
12 km. Yeah.
So this sequential improvement, I am just coming back to this realization. If you could give some more color, was it like earlier last quarter, the discount structure was higher for you and this quarter. Because what we understand, North prices in general have increased by 3%-4%. East has increased by 5%-7%, but East your volume share is much lower on a total sales mix basis. And even Gujarat market where you are heavy, that would also have seen 3%-4% increase. So how come your reported realization sequentially is up by 7%?
This is what it is in front of you. So there is no change in discount, right? So discount, we cannot change in between because you commit your dealers for the discount for the whole year. So last quarter you cannot change over.
That is not. This is only about the price increases happen because of the demand improvement in various geographies, right? Maybe I think we have optimized better. Like you talked about East, right? East our presence is very limited. We are there in Chhattisgarh and neighboring states only, right? Maybe other players are there everywhere. So we have done better geo mix and with support of price increase, that has given us the realization improvement. There is no change in our discount.
Great. Assuming what we understand that prices have either flattish or marginally better in Q1 versus Q4, your reported realization in that sense should be flattish or improve in line with the market if this is a normal realization in Q4?
Sorry, coming into a Q1 of this year, right?
No, sir. Q4 versus Q1, given that prices have sequentially improved or are flattish, should we expect that your realization should also move in line that way, assuming that there are no one-offs or any different reporting in Q4 numbers?
I do not know why you are mentioning one-off. I am not too sure about it. But what I know is, I think the way industry will improve will go along with that. It is upward or downward, whatever. Yeah.
Maybe if you could give some color on sequential which market, how much was price increase for you on a like-to-like basis. On a broadly like North, Gujarat and East, three key markets, what was the price increase quarter on quarter for you broadly? If that would be helpful.
I think I will give you maybe after this call. I do not have breakup.
No issues.
Geography wise.
Lastly,
Breakup also geography wise, if you want.
Great. So that will be quite helpful. Lastly, on the CapEx front, you mentioned that the Durg plant is expected. Did I hear correctly that Durg plant would get commissioned by end of FY 2027? Clinker unit?
I would say quarter three you can take. Quarter three around.
Given that EC is still awaited, equipment ordering is still awaited. By the time it is going for trial runs and all, would it not be by end of FY 2027?
I think quarter three, means a month here and there that happens, okay? But the way I see today, I think it looks like quarter three we will be able to commission.
And sir, this railway siding and conveyor belt projects, what are the status on that, and what is the total CapEx for FY 2026 and 2027 one should look at?
Railway siding, we have already done the first part. Now some deposits have to be made there for the railways and the Bhilai Steel Plant. On that basis, in this year, last year, actual CapEx was about INR 300 crores as far as JK Lakshmi Cement is concerned. About INR 250 for the Udaipur Cement Works Limited remaining was spent. So INR 300 plus INR 250, INR 550 was the total CapEx, including. In northeast, we did about INR 50 crores. As far as next year is concerned, we are expecting a CapEx of about INR 1,100 crores in JK Lakshmi Cement, including for the Durg expansion, and INR 150 for the northeast project, and maybe some small INR 40, INR 50 crores of payment left for Udaipur. So maybe all taken together, including the subsidy, about INR 1,300 crores.
Okay, this would include maintenance and all?
Yeah, this includes that.
Okay. For FY 2027, how much would be pending, sir? How much would you expect?
We expect for JK Lakshmi, INR 1,000 crores and INR 800 for the northeast. That is all, INR 1,800 would be there.
INR 1,800 for, okay.
Yeah.
INR 1,300 for FY 2026.
Yeah.
Conveyor belt sir, what is your status?
Conveyor belt.
Is that expected in Q4?
The last lag. We have been saying that for last two quarters. Some final approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change is required. The board, the Bhilai Steel Plant has already recommended. It should come any moment that we have been saying, I know for last one or two quarters. Hopefully, it should come and thereafter, almost eight, nine months to get it commissioned. It will require a CapEx of about INR 70 crore-INR 80 crore additional from whatever has already been incurred, which is included in the figure which I have mentioned to you.
This year, expecting this to be finally operational?
By March of 2026, it should be in place, hopefully. If everything falls in place the way we have been working on that.
Understood. Great, sir. I will come back in queue. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Rajesh.
Thank you, Rajesh.
Thank you, sir. Participants, you may press star and one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Prateek Kumar from Jefferies. Please go ahead.
Sir, good evening, sir. Congrats for good results. My first question is on your northeast project. Can you also update us on status there, and what are the timelines for the rollout of capacity in that market?
Northeast project is not going as per the plan. That is slightly delayed one, so it is taking time. That's a different style of working there. We did not envisage that in the beginning. There are hiccups, I would say, but it should be slightly delayed, I must say. As we speak, I would say they're slightly delayed, maybe by about seven or eight months. Because when we acquired this opportunity, we expected the land to be in place within three months. It took us almost a year to get the land. Having got the land, then we have moved for the environmental clearance and all that, whatever needs to be done. There are some local issues, some political issues. It is getting delayed, to put it in simple words. We are off by about seven, eight months.
Is it commissioning by FY 2029 or something? You can have an expectation there.
Actually, maybe next con call, we should be able to give the actual. So that once that environmental clearance and local issues are settled and that takes care, then we should have a clear visibility. I do not want to commit a timeline. We were expecting something. I must tell you that there is slightly delayed there.
Okay. Regarding the quarterly performance, peers like much more volatile versus some of the industry peers. Is this related to some cost attribution between the quarters or the top line attribution related to some incentives, et cetera, which explains the quarterly volatility and performance versus peers?
No, there is no such as such quarterly this thing. It is based on the actual sales which happens and the booking of the expenses which takes place. We do not shift any expense or for that matter, any incentive. Frankly speaking, as of now, we do not have any incentive in any of the markets or the plants where we operate or states where we operate. Udaipur will start getting the incentive maybe from next year. So that will get factored in. So there is no quarter-wise shift is not there for us, as far as we are concerned.
Last question on industry pricing. How is the pricing behaving in your markets since March exit?
Come again.
Market.
Market?
Sir, how is the pricing trend in your markets since March exit? Maybe in your markets monsoons have not arrived, but in some other markets they are there. Is there an impact of that on, I don't know, in case your markets?
Prices are almost flattish. Demand is just better, but prices have not gone up. It's almost flat in all the geographies where we operate, like East, part of West and North. What I see, I think prices are going to be range bound till about definitely June or July, because monsoon sets in in this part of India, north little latter. Maybe till about June, July, things are going to be better in terms of demand and prices also will follow the same line. This is what I see.
Thank you, sir. This is one more question.
Yeah. Thank you.
Thank you. Participants, please press star one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Shravan Shah from Dolat Capital. Please go ahead.
Yeah. Thank you, and congratulations on good set of number. Sir, couple of questions. First, clarification. 1.35 million ton Surat expansion. How much it will be? It was supposed to come in two parts. The entire 1.35 million ton will come by June?
No, I think it's going to be in two parts. So June and September, this is what we said before. So June, we'll be commissioning half of it and around September, the remaining part of it.
Okay. And second, the Durg one. Just to clarify again, last time we said 2.3 million ton clinker and 1.2 million ton grinding at Durg and 1.2 grinding at Prayagraj. So 2.4 million ton grinding and 2.3 clinker will be by September. But now this will be coming by the third quarter of FY 2027 and the second phase to commissioning FY 2028. Is it right?
Yeah.
Okay. Got it. And second, on the couple of data points. First, if you can help us in terms of the consolidated clinker sale in the third quarter of FY 2025, fourth quarter of FY 2025, and full year of FY 2024.
You can send the mail. We will respond on mail on these data points.
Okay. And premium, sir, for this quarter at consolidated level was how much?
25%.
25%. Okay. The Cement-Concrete ratio for this quarter is similar, 1.45?
1.44.
1.44. Okay. Sir, just to again clarifying, given what we are saying that the prices currently are stable, there is the actual increase what has happened in the last quarter. If I remove the non-cement revenue, it is 8% quarter-over-quarter increase in the realization. That likely to continue. Is there any further cost reduction from the quarter-over-quarter front? Just trying to understand that given the current profitability, EBITDA per ton, will it be continue in the Q1 onwards?
If you take quarter four exit price, exit, I am talking, then from there, I think prices are flat-ish. Prices have not gone up. This is true for all geographies where we operate. This is one. What you ask?
On the cost front, is there anything that we are looking at in Q1? Obviously, the operating leverage, obviously the volume would be slightly lower versus Q4 in Q1. So that we understand that there is some negative operating leverage. Apart from that, there is as such no one-off in the costing front also. Broadly, the EBITDA per ton, that INR 976 likely to be there at least in Q1. Then obviously we will see the pricing, how it moves.
Yeah. So I think prices are flat-ish. Cost, yes, I think it is not going to be we see substantial increase in cost anywhere. Okay. Yeah, operating leverage will little bit go down because of the lower volume in quarter one. So you are right, I think. You picked up the right thing.
Yeah. Structurally, next one year or maybe two year, in terms of the cost reduction, how much more one can look at in terms of whatever we are saying, the RE power or green cell. That also if you can mention from 50% where we can go in FY 2026 and whatever the logistic cost, all this, how much more one can look at the per ton cost reduction?
I said during last quarter also that in 12- 18 months' time, the plan is to reduce cost by about INR 100- INR 120. And that is basically going to come from one, of course, increase in renewable energy proportion. We have already reached 50%. By end of this year, I think we will reach somewhere around 52%, around 53% kind of renewable energy proportion. This is one lever which we have. Second, continuously we are working on thermal substitution. All our plants. Udaipur is a little bit on lower side as of today because we have just started our AFR facility at Udaipur. That is going to give some benefit. On other two integrated unit, we are already beyond 12%, 13%.
Right. That will maintain or even improve by a percentage. That is going to be some kind of saving out of that also. Third, of course, I think logistics, Rajesh was asking this, increase in our lead by 12 km. We definitely will try to bring it back to about 380 km level. Maybe 10 km of reduction we see there as well. Fourth thing, we talked about that Green+ brand, which we have launched. We have got a good traction in the market and probably also I think that will give us some improvement in price positioning improvement in different market. These are the major, I would say, levers apart from all those efficiency parameters like heat value, specific energy and other things we keep on working, that is a continuous process that will go on.
These are the major drivers, I would say, of this INR 100- INR 120 in next 12- 18 months time.
Got it. Sir, lastly, because this non-current financial asset, which has increased from INR 60 crore-INR 66 odd crore in one year in FY 2024 to 409 crore in FY 2025. What is this?
Sorry, come again. Can you repeat your question, please?
Non-current financial asset as on FY 2025 is INR 409 crore versus in one year in FY 2024 it was INR 60- INR 66 odd crore. Why a sharp increase in this?
On the standalone or you are talking of console?
Console, sir. Everything is on console.
Just a second. Non-current
Financial asset.
Non-current financial asset. Just a second. I will respond to you. Yes, please. Now you can pose a non-current financial asset. From where? What is the figure you are talking of?
INR 408.9 crore, which is a part of others. So it is a third number, financial asset.
Deposit with banks of about INR 300 crore.
Okay. As on March, the total cash-
Just hold on. If it is more than one year deposit, then it has to be in the non-current. It is a fixed deposit with banks that has gone up from INR 60 crore to INR 408, primarily consist of these bank fixed deposits for more than a year.
Total cash and cash equivalent as on March is how much and net debt is how much?
Yeah, that I will tell you. INR 1,150 crores.
INR 1,150 is our console cash?
Yeah.
Okay. Got it, sir. Thank you and all the best, sir.
Sure. Thank you.
Thank you. You may press star and one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Rajesh Ravi from HDFC Securities. Please go ahead.
Hi, sir. Part of my questions you answered in Shravan's queries. Just wanted to check on the cost-saving projects again. You mentioned that you will be able to reduce or increase the green share slightly, but given that on an average for full year, you are already at 48% in FY 2024, FY 2025, sorry. This would, for full year, you are looking this to increase to 52%, right?
Right.
Incrementally, savings may not be large. Even on your freight lead distance, you averaged at 380 km in FY 2025. Even if you reduce by 10 km, this would save another, say, INR 30- INR 40. Between these two programs, maybe INR 50 savings should come up. TSR, how are you looking at? What was it for full year and how much you are looking this to go on an average for FY 2026?
On an average, we look at about 12%- 13%.
Okay.
12%-13%. So average we are looking at 12% for this year. This is what we are looking at. Current year, the year which has gone by, it was at about 9%.
6% in Q4.
Yeah, 6% and 12% other, around 9%. So 9%- 12%, that is what, 3% TSR improvement. This is what we see as of today.
This fuel cost INR 1.53, are you looking this to remain stable in Q1 versus Q4? Or because of the recent spike in Q4, we have seen a spike in petrol prices. So would that inflate this Q1 consumption cost, blended fuel cost?
Only. At least this quarter, I think it is going to be around there.
Sorry, I missed that.
This quarter one is going to be around that quarter four only.
Okay. And thereafter, do you see this number to be stable given the current level of prices? What was the petcoke mix in your fuel, sir? Fuel mix.
You know, petcoke prices, that has been quite volatile. So what we do, whenever we have opportunity, we try to buy at a lower cost.
This is what we do. As we see today, I think quarter one, quarter two, I think it's going to be around this only. Not much increase in this.
Okay. And this FD is booked under non-current loans and advances. It is around INR 300 crore or INR 350 crore you mentioned?
INR 350 crore.
INR 30 crore. Perfect. This is what I was thinking. I think that's all from my end. Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Please press star and one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Mudit Agarwal from Motilal Oswal Financial Services. Please go ahead.
Hello, am I audible, sir?
Yes.
Yes, sir. You are audible.
Sir, just wanted to understand how much volume is coming from the outsourced to the grinding unit. Is it still we have some arrangements for that or the total volume is pure JK Lakshmi and the UCWL?
Do not worry.
Okay, understood. Thank you so much, sir.
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, this will be the final reminder and no further reminders will be given that you may please press star and one to ask questions. The next question is from the line of Uttam Kumar Srimal from Axis Securities Limited. Please go ahead.
Yes, sir. A very good afternoon. My question pertains to, sir, you spoke about cost savings about INR 100- INR 120 per ton. How much we have achieved during this quarter, and how much we will be achieving in FY 2026 and FY 2027?
This INR 100- INR 120, I mentioned about combination of FY 2026, FY 2027, 12- 18 months time. The combination of levers, I will just once again, Uttam, detail you. That one, of course, is a new brand which we have launched to improve in price positioning, the Green+ , which we have launched recently. This is one. Second, further premiumization. We were at 25% last quarter. We want to take it further now. This is second. Third was a reduction in lead going back to about 380 km average. Some of the actions I have granted, one was on renewable energy going from 48% to about 52%, and TSR improvement of about 3 percantage points- 4 percentage points. This is what I think are some actions which we have put in place. If you ask me that last quarter saving, I think all these parameters are gradually improving.
Let us say trade sales was 50% last quarter. We ideally want to maintain this at this level. That also gives some kind of operating leverage for us. Combining all these things, I think really pointing out how much saving out of these actions in quarter four is a little difficult because some of the drivers are overlapping. I can give you that, but you have to give me some time. What we see is that directionally, if at all, we are okay. If at all my TSR is improving, renewable power is going up, my lead is kind of going down, the premium is going up. That way, I think we can tell you that how much we have done in the last quarter.
Okay. And sir, any new plan to put a plant in Gujarat? Because you have got some limestone mine over there.
Gujarat what? Come again, please. I think I did not hear you properly.
We have got those limestone mines at Kutch, so that-
Yes.
That will be a distinct option that will come. We are presently in the process of acquiring land, so it is three, four years away still.
Okay. That is all from my side, and wish you all the best.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Rajesh Ravi from HDFC Securities. Please go ahead.
Hi, sir, just one follow-up question. Any volume guidance for FY 2026, please? And what is the ramp-up you are looking at Udaipur?
Volume guidance, as I said, that the industry is at, let's say, about 6.5%. We are looking at 10% growth the least this year. Volume-
10% growth, okay. And sir, Udaipur volume would be console minus standalone for Q4?
Udaipur volume? Sorry.
For Udaipur Cement, the volume can be derived from console minus standalone volume numbers, which you have given in the press release.
Yeah.
Okay, great. That's all from my end, sir. Thank you.
Thank you, Rajesh. Bye.
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, this will be the last question for today, which is from the line of Shravan Shah from Dolat Capital. Please go ahead.
Yes. Two small clarifications, sir. For Northeast, that Agrani Cement, we were supposed to pay INR 200 crore by March. So have we paid that?
No, we have not paid that. We never said it is to be paid by March. We said it will be linked to certain objectives soon. So that has not been paid. Out of INR 325 crores consideration, we have paid initially to start with INR 125 core, INR 5 crore was additionally paid. So as of now, we have paid INR 130 crore, and nothing beyond that. In response to some earlier question, I had mentioned that there are certain issues in that project because of the style of working, which we are not used to working in that zone or area. So there are issues. So it is slightly getting delayed.
Okay.
There are local issues, some political issues, and we are putting our foot down at the cost of even they are threatening to abandon the project and all that. But it is getting delayed that much as of now, we can say, but we are not going to dance to their tunes the way their style of working is there, which to our utter surprise, we found is not the style where we are used to operating in other states. So it is taking time, and they are threatening. We are putting our foot down and all that.
Okay. But the original plan in terms of the 1 million ton clinker and 1.5 million ton for grinding with a CapEx of INR 1,800 crore, that remains intact or there is a possibility that this will also further go up?
No, this will not change. Issues are the initial hiccups which we are facing at the local levels. That is the issue. Once those local level things are sorted out, then obviously we will follow the path which we had initially envisaged ourself for this project. Initial local and political issues at that level is happening, and we are taking a tough stand, not adhering to their demands and whatever are their local issues.
Got it.
That's why I said it is getting delayed. Land we have acquired, there are some encroachment. All those local issues are taking slightly longer time than what we had envisaged. They are threatening us. We are putting our foot down, not yielding to their demands and all that. Things are not moving the way we wanted, the way we envisaged. That's the reason as to why whatever consideration, it was good that we did not pay the entire consideration upfront, entire INR 325. Otherwise, that would have got stuck up. As of now, to start with, we have paid only INR 125, INR 130 odds, and have linked it to the achievement of those milestones. We are taking a tough stand on that and not yielding to their pressures.
Got it. And sir, just a broader perspective. Let's assume, JK, even if we add so currently 16.5 million ton, Surat 1.35 million ton, then this 4.6 million ton Durg. Everything, if we add, it will be close to 22.5 million ton, that we will be there by FY 2028, or we are saying that we will be reaching the 30 million ton by FY 2030. So additional 7.5 million ton. Even if this Northeast maybe a 1.5 million ton by FY 2029 if comes, then also still we need a 6 million ton. So we have to start spending maybe from next year onwards. Is there a possibility that this 30 million ton target can be moved to maybe FY 2031, FY 2032?
Or any ballpark, the range in terms of the CapEx would be the similar what right now we are doing INR 600, INR 700 odd crore per million ton, that's the way one can look at?
We also have two greenfield plants, limestone mines who are Nagaur and Kutch, as I mentioned in response to some earlier question on Gujarat mines. So we are hopeful that they will be in place by then. So it's too early to give up a deadline of 30 million ton by 2030. Then there are other inorganic opportunity which keep coming up. So obviously our target remains to reach 30 million ton by 2030. Even if Northeast, as I mentioned, is delayed, and as you rightly said, could be delayed. So without Northeast also, we'll be able to reach. Northeast is somewhere as an additional opportunity, but without Northeast also, we'll be able to reach 2030 as of now as we speak.
Got it. This Udaipur Cement Works Limited amalgamation and in terms of the extra shares, that 6.5 million ton, that will be done by this December, it will be all done?
Yeah. Could be earlier than that. Additional shares, sorry, could not get that.
For minority stake of Udaipur Cement Works Limited, JK Lakshmi Cement will issue that four shares for every 100 shares.
Right.
That roughly transfer to-
Right.
6.5 million shares that we will be issuing.
That hopefully should happen sooner than December. That is what as of now we are saying. We are in final stages of hearing for the National Company Law Tribunal. Once that is there, it should be maybe we will not have to wait till December, I can tell you as of now. It should happen sooner than that.
Got it, sir. Thank you and all the best, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. As that was the last question for today, I would now like to hand the conference over to Mr. Vaibhav Agarwal for closing comments. Thank you, and over to you, sir.
Yeah. Thank you. On behalf of PhillipCapital (India) Pvt Ltd, I'd like to thank Arun and JK Lakshmi for the call and also Sudhir Bidkar joining the call. Thank you very much, sir.
Thank you, everyone, and thank you, Mr. Vaibhav.
Thank you, everyone.
Thank you.
Thank you, members of the management. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of PhillipCapital (India) Pvt Ltd, that concludes this conference. We thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines. Thank you.
Thank you.