Cimentos de Mocambique denies responsibility for price rises

Cimentos de Mocambique (CM), which operates two cement factories in the northern province of Nampula, has denied authorising any increase in the price of its product.

Jorge Reis, the managing director of CM, said his company has nothing to do with the sudden increases in the price of cement charged by retailers, All Africa confirmed.

In the last two months the price of a 50kg bag of cement produced at the CM factories in Nacala has risen from MZN470 (US$7.50) to a maximum of MZN610 (US$9.80). Formal and informal retailers in the provincial capital, Nampula city, justify the price rise, citing an alleged shortage of cement and difficulties in acquiring it at the factory gate.

At the factory gate, Mr Reis added, CM had not raised its prices – in fact the price had remained unaltered since November 2016. Depending on the type, a bag of cement bought at the factory gate costs between MZN350-409, for clients who buy a minimum of 600 bags.