Honduras’ government has fixed the factory price of a one-quintal bag of cement at 70 lempiras (US$3.93) in an effort to halt rising prices, local press reported.  In the first two weeks of August, cement producers in the country increased the price of a bag of cement by 12%, causing the price in some stores to increase to almost US$5.05 a bag.

However, the government has said it is fixing the price in the short-term in the interests of the country. Buyers will now have the option of purchasing cement directly from the factories for US$3.93 a bag or from local stores, where the price is expected to range from US$4.10 to US$4.21. In the last year, the price of a bag of cement has fluctuated between US$2.60 and US$5.05.