Cement Shortages Push Prices Up Nearly 100% In Two Months

The price of cement in Zimbabwe has nearly doubled over the past two months, driven by a surge in construction activity and compounded by constraints in both local production and imports.

A 50kg bag of cement, which previously cost around US$12, is now selling for about US$20.

The spike has been linked to soaring demand, the exhaustion of import quotas by several traders, and persistent production challenges at local manufacturing plants.

Although construction activity traditionally peaks between April and November, ahead of the rainy season, this year has seen atypically high demand extending beyond the usual period.

Zimbabwe relies heavily on cement imports from neighbouring Zambia, but these inflows have declined sharply.

Several major importers have already exhausted their allocated quotas, tightening external supply at a time when local demand continues to rise.

The country’s cement industry has an installed production capacity of approximately 2.6 million tonnes per year.

However, output has been inconsistent due to operational setbacks affecting major producers, including severe power shortages and ageing equipment.

Khayah Cement has been particularly affected, experiencing financial difficulties and intermittent production stoppages, which have further strained local supply.

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