Zimbabwe issues import licences to meet demand

The Zimbabwean government has issued cement import licences to ensure supply while two of the country’s leading cement producers deal with production issues.

According to ZimEye, Lafarge and Sino-Zimbabwean Cement Co are currently experiencing production problems so have been issued with import licences to ensure the country is not left short of cement. Zimbabwe is home to a total cement production capacity of around 2.6Mta, but demand has been rising steadily on the back of a construction boom, leaving cement supply far outstripped by demand.

The situation has been further exacerbated by cement dealers raising prices to take advantage of the the cement shortage, with some dealers reportedly increasing prices by as much as 100 per cent. According to Ron Bhila, Zimbabwe’s industry and commerce deputy minister, plans are underway to resolve the cement supply situation within the next two weeks.