As prices of cement continue to rise in Malawi, Government has, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, set K16,000 as the maximum price of the commodity.
The decision has been made following public outcry over prices of cement in various markets across the country which are said to be both exorbitant and drastically unstable.
Government has, therefore, upon engaging the local manufactures of cement and undergoing evaluations, set a price ceiling of cement at K16,000, according to the press statement issued on Monday and signed by Secretary for Trade and Industry, Christina Zakeyo.
The Ministry has also engaged the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) to prioritise supply of forex to the local cement manufacturing companies to ease their plight when importing raw materials such as gypsum, clinker and coal used in production of cement.
Upon indicating legal ex-factory prices of cement products such as Build-Plast, Akshar and Thanthwe from Shayona as well as Khoma, Duracrete and Superset from Portland, among other companies’ products, the Ministry also warns the traders to stop taking advantage of the consumers of cement in the country with regards to the current price ceiling.
Meanwhile, Malawians are being advised to report to the Ministry or the Competition and Fair Trading Commission whenever they feel some traders are charging exorbitant prices on cement products across the country.
“The Ministry and its relevant agencies will not hesitate to take necessary action to deal with traders found engaging in such malpractice,” reads part of the statement.
Reported by Prince Justice Banda
