Lack of foreign currency affects Zimbabwe's plants

Zimbabwe's foreign currency shortage is impacting on the operational efficiency of its cement plants.

While Sino-Zimbabwe Cement Co is able to source 85 per cent of its raw material needs from local sources, the remaining materials are imported, requiring foreign currency. In addition, the company needs to buy spare parts from Europe and core services such as the paper bags for packaging cement from Tanzania and Zambia. 

Wang Yong, Sino-Zimbabwe's managing director, said the company was not the only one to be challenged by this. Most cement producers in the country faced similar shortages of foreign currency.