Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The government has decided to immediately lift restrictions on the importation of cement to address the country’s ongoing shortages, which have caused prices to soar.
Speaking in Parliament during a discussion on the cement supply crisis and rising prices, which have nearly doubled over the past two months, Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Paul Mavima, who was standing in for the Leader of Government Business in the Lower House, said the move was prompted by the escalating demand and surging costs. Said Mavima:
“This is a matter that the Cabinet discussed yesterday (Tuesday).”
Cement prices have jumped to around US$20 for a 50-kilogram bag, up from about US$12 in August.
Minister Mavima, who is also the MP for Gokwe Sengwa, said several factors have contributed to the sharp increase in cement prices. He said:
“The factors are many, but there is also an increase, a boom, in the construction industry, including residential construction and other structures that are going up, which is contributing to this shortage.
“The Cabinet took a decision yesterday (Tuesday) to open up the importation of cement, and this is supposed to be with immediate effect.”
While Zimbabwe mainly imports cement from neighbouring Zambia, supplies have dropped sharply as some major importers exhausted their allocated quotas, tightening external supply just as domestic demand surged.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Raji Modi, told the House of Assembly that even importers with valid licences are facing delays at the border. He said backlogs at border posts have caused severe delays in clearing imported cement.
Modi also highlighted domestic production challenges, including a shortage of clinker, the key ingredient for cement, and recent breakdowns at local production plants.
Although Zimbabwe’s cement industry has an installed capacity of around 2.6 million tonnes annually, output has been inconsistent as major producers contend with operational setbacks such as power shortages and ageing equipment.
The country’s major cement producers include Khayah Cement in Harare (formerly Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe), PPC Zimbabwe in Harare and Bulawayo, and Sino-Zimbabwe Cement in Gweru.
Another notable player is the Chinese-owned Livetouch Cement in Redcliff, near Kwekwe.
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