Nepal has become self-reliant on cement production from this fiscal, claims The Niumalayan. However this self-sufficiency has not seen domestic cement prices fall lower than foreign brands. NRB data shows that Nepal imported Indian cement (including clinker) worth NPR31bn (US$270.6m) in FY2017-18, which declined to almost NPR13bn in FY2018-19.

In the first two months of FY19-20, the country imported cement worth only INR940m, which cement manufacturers claim are imports for which advance payment has already been made. Cement imports and clinker from India is almost nil at present for the fiscal year.

"On average, the factory price of OPC cement today is around NPR700 per sack, depending on the brand against its price of around NPR750 per sack a year ago. Similarly, price of PPC cement has come down to NPR600 per sack from NPR700 per sack a year ago," said Pashupati Murarka, director of Argakhanchi Cement.