Displaying items by tag: Shortage

Guinea: Cement has become scarce across Guinea, halting many private construction sites and driving prices higher. According to a report by the Guinee7 newspaper, the country has six producers that operate seven cement plants, with a combined production capacity of around 3.6Mt/yr. This is up from 2.2Mt/yr four years ago – an increase of nearly 60%.

However, two plants have shut down due to a lack of clinker. Industry sources propose reviving domestic clinker production but caution that stabilisation could take several months.

The Gambia: Jah Oil has announced the imminent arrival of a 53,000t cement shipment in Banjul by 4 June 2025 to address the national shortage and maintain a new, lower price, according to the Foroyaa newspaper. Managing director Momodou Hydara said the supply will stabilise the market, with smaller 4000t shipments already underway to meet immediate demand.

Hydara denied internal issues, calling the disruption “a normal phenomenon that can happen to any business.” He said “Our company has sufficient capacity to continue meeting national demand.” He blamed global disruptions, citing President Trump’s tariffs on Vietnamese cement that redirected US demand to Egypt and Türkiye, Jah Oil’s main suppliers. “All of a sudden, the supplier couldn't catch up with that competition and informed us about a huge increase in price,” Hydara said.

He added that Jah Oil alerted the Gambian government early but received no immediate response. He said the company later explained that global pricing pressures and the Dalasi’s depreciation against the US Dollar made the existing price unsustainable.

Myanmar: Cement prices have more than doubled in Mandalay, Naypyitaw and Sagaing following the earthquake in March 2025, delaying reconstruction efforts, according to The Irrawaddy newspaper. The regime reportedly promised to subsidise cement prices for reconstruction work, but this has only happened in Naypyitaw. In Sagaing city, most building supply shops were damaged by the earthquake and remain closed, leading to long queues at businesses that are still operating.

The Indian government recently donated 4500 bags of cement for reconstruction efforts, but residents say this will mostly be used in Naypyitaw. A building sector source said “The construction industry is also suffering from labour shortages. We are not doing any building work, just demolitions. We have to buy any brand of product, including domestically produced cement. Even the big companies are rationing cement sales.”

Cement prices were reportedly increasing before the earthquake due to a decline in production. Only six of the country’s nine cement plants are now operating, producing around 340,000 bags per day. In April 2025, officials inspected over 300 building suppliers and prosecuted more than 60 for overcharging.

Kyrgyzstan: A total of 0.58Mt of cement was produced during the first quarter of 2025. This was a rise of 51.6% year-on-year compared to 0.38Mt in the first quarter of 2024, according to the National Statistical Committee. It was also higher than the first quarter of 2023, when 0.45Mt of cement was produced.

However, construction companies and buyers of construction materials have recently encountered cement shortages in the capital city Bishkek. Local finance media source Tazabek reported that it has contacted several construction stores, wholesale and retail points of sale of cement, which confirmed shortages. Cement is expected to be back in stock within 10 days.

Fiji: The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has assured the public that there should be no shortage of cement despite the temporary suspension of operations at Pacific Cement. CEO Senikavika Jiuta said FCCC is working closely with suppliers and monitoring the supply chain to prevent unfair practices.

Pacific Cement suspended operations on 21 March 2025 after its mill sustained mechanical damage. Repairs are underway and expected to finish by 27 May 2025. FCCC engaged with both Pacific Cement and Tengy Cement to conduct a market study, concluding that Tengy Cement’s increased production at its Suva and Lautoka plants will meet demand until Pacific Cement resumes full operations.

Ghana: CBI Ghana has invested US$100m in a new plant in Tema to produce limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) using local raw materials, to reduce reliance on imported clinker.

Commercial director of Supacem Kobby Adams said that the Ghana Standards Authority’s adoption of the GS PAS 5:2024 LC3 standard enabled the launch, following collaboration with local universities and international partners. According to Graphic Business news, the current clinker scarcity and its escalating prices stemmed from a 6% currency depreciation between December 2024 and February 2025 and the evolving global market uncertainties, including an increase in clinker export prices from the Mediterranean.

The project reportedly created over 160 direct jobs through local sourcing and infrastructure development in Tema and Torgome.

Ghana: Cement dealers have raised concerns over a growing shortage of brands including SOL Cement, Empire Cement and Dzata Cement, according to Citi Newsroom. Dealers have cited a scarcity of clinker and rising port charges behind recent supply disruptions and price increases. One cement retailer, Augustine Aduful, said that they paid for cement but have been left out of pocket for two weeks. Ghacem, in particular, has reportedly been facing a shortage, with customers having to switch to alternatives like Diamond Cement.

Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry CEO Emmanuel Cherry said that Ghana cannot continue to rely solely on clinker in cement production and that the country should begin to look for viable alternatives.

Another retailer, Isaac Frimpong, said “The clinker shortage is being caused by overseas supply issues. Even the recent price hikes are tied to external factors. We hope that with government intervention, the situation will stabilise.”

The Gambia: A recent cement shortage in the Greater Banjul Area and West Coast Region has been attributed to delays at the country’s main port, according to Omar Badjie, director of industry at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment. The disruption reportedly stemmed from a backlog at the Banjul port that left a key shipment from cement supplier Jah Oil waiting offshore.

“The issue wasn't production capacity,” Badjie said. “The port was congested, and Jah Oil's vessel had trouble berthing. That put pressure on the two other cement plants, Salam and Gacem, which couldn't meet the market's demand on their own.”

The government expedited a berth for Jah Oil's vessel, which docked last week with 38,000t of cement. However, supply constraints persist, with contractors reporting stalled projects and inflated prices.

North Korea: The Sangwon Cement Complex has appealed to smaller cement plants to boost production for major government projects, despite a lack of raw materials and electricity, according to Radio Free Asia.

The ‘vaguely written’ appeal, issued in early February 2025, states the urgent need for cement to complete government housing projects and rural development initiatives, but does not specify how production should increase. One of the projects listed is the Pyongyang housing project, which aims to build 10,000 new homes per year, and a total of 50,000 by the end of 2025.

A resident said “The Sangwon Cement Complex is affiliated with the central committee. Its electricity and raw materials are fully provided by the central party. How can the appeal demand increased cement production from local cement companies when there is no electricity or limestone?”

Another resident noted that most construction is being carried out by military labour units but cement shortages are forcing builders to cut corners, with most rural houses reportedly built from soil mixed with clay, lime, and decomposed granite. Though the appeal came from the Sangwon Cement Complex, residents see it as an implicit order from Kim Jong-un’s government. In the past, citizens were forced to gather sand and gravel for public projects, and some fear this order could have the same effect.

Chad: Chad has been experiencing a cement shortage for several weeks, according to Tchad Infos. This has reportedly led to a rise in prices.

The Minister of Trade and Industry said "This situation is due to difficulties in supplying raw materials essential to the production of cement, in particular clinker, which must be transported by rail. Since 17 February 2025, an incident on the Camrail railway line in Cameroon has delayed deliveries. The orders, unloaded at the port of Douala due to the absence of a seafront for our country, could not be transported on time."