The price of cement in some parts of Lusaka has been hiked by K15, 000 resulting in the commodity fetching K70,000 from K55,000.
A snap survey conducted by ZANIS in Chawama, Kalingalinga and Mtendere compounds in Lusaka today revealed that the price of cement has been adjusted.
One cement dealer talked to by ZANIS, John Lungu, said the hiking of the commodity is due to transportation costs.
Mr Lungu said he also decided to increase the commodity so he can realise a minimal profit.
Another dealer, Chamanyanzi Zyambo said due to increased transportation costs, he had no option but to increase the price of cement.
However, sources at Lafarge PLC Limited, formerly Chilanga Cement PLC, denied increasing the commodity and accused cement dealers of increasing price illegally.
The sources maintained that the price of cement is K45,000 per 50kg bag.
The source said the company will appeal to the Zambia Competition Commission (ZCC) to conduct a thorough investigation on the increase of the price for cement by traders.
the production has to be increased and then the supply will be more and demand met.Chilanga cement must wake up and meet our needs.these capitalists selling at K70,000 can not be arrested coz the market is so liberal.
There is need for ZCC to move in very quickly and take up this issue seriously. It seems traders are taking advantage of the boom in construction to exploit consumers.
Greedy chaps!
we all know that Chilanga cement was bought by a company in south africa strategically to offset the shortfalls in their country by cheaply exporting cement from zambia to their country in preparation for the 2010 world cup.yes you might ay were are the facts but zambian let us wake up.naga malaiti chili bwa the load shadding we are told its a regional crisis why should we feel the pinch when the rich and power are enjoying.come on guyz
Surely if Lafarge are selling at K45,000 then anyone with a bit of sense in them will buy from the cheaper source?? pushing up prices because of the property boom will only lead to a rise in inflation. The best way forward for lafarge is perhaps include free tranportation in the price to eliminate these greedy chaps.
The govt and BoZ are always espousing the benefits of a ‘free market’; well this is the result of those economic policies – supply and demand. Stop blaming the trader on the street and look at the overall picture – assured monopoly of cement supply, increased demand for product, high fuel prices; the list goes on and on. But yeah, let’s kick the little guy taking advantage of the ‘free market’. In every sector of the economy – electricity, water, food – blame the common man and not govt policies or its crony-filled parastatal companies.
Mad Scientist [6], I agree with you. We need to evaluate some of these economic policies and stop blaming the small trader who needs to put food on his family table and pay for his children’s school fees. The lack of evaluation of these ‘free market’ policies is what is killing us. I am not a historian, neither am I an economist, but I am meant to believe that it is such laisse faire policies that led to what is known as The Great Depression -a period of world economic recession – in the 1930s.
Its all about supply and demand. Increase supply,and the price will fall.
If you are a zambian in need of cement email us at [email protected] and we will make arrangements for whatever quantities you need. There is nothing wrong with having another source for cement if it is scarce.
I loved your article post.Really thank you! Cool.