Cement prices in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, have increased for the third time in a month to reach record levels.
Prices are currently ZMW85,000 (US$15.60), the highest ever seen on the Zambian market. Since fuel prices were increased over a month ago, cement prices have risen three times and are showing no signs of abating.
Distributors across the city of Lusaka have said that the increase is meant to help offset the higher price of transportation costs, an issue which is reported to be affecting the prices of a number of other commodities.
Zambian cement consumption is also holding strong and market leader Lafarge Zambia Cement recently said it had scaled back exports to meet growing needs. The company expects domestic consumption to double over the next 10 years, with the average pace of growth being 10 per cent to 2018.
