Cement prices in east China saw the biggest drop within an overall 0.7 percent decline last week, according to reports by Xinhua.

Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, in particular, saw prices fall by RMB20 to 40/t, while Shanghai and Fujian also witnessed a RMB10 to 30/t decline.

The sudden decrease in cement prices was unexpected right before peak season, and weak demand from downstream projects up to late August forced cement companies to cut back production in order to balance the supply-demand.

Efforts to close down obsolete production facilities in the cement industry will be intensified in the second half of 2011 and strict access threshold will be implemented, according to the MIIT.