Government urged to rein in ‘jacked up’ cement prices

KOCHI: With cement prices skyrocketing,  manufacturers of cement bricks and tiles have been hit  hard and the All Kerala Cement Bricks and Tile Manufacturers' Association has approached the state government seeking to rein in the vaulting cement prices.“ The construction sector has been badly affected on account of the spiralling prices of cement. 

"The production cost of concrete bricks and tiles, manufactured using cement, has increased manifold as the price of a cement bag has increased by upto `60-70 in the last fortnight. Hence, the cement allied industries are in deep crisis,” said Viju Palal,  the association's president.

According to the association, with the hike in the cement prices, the manufacturer will be forced to increase the price of interlocking tiles by Rs 4 per sq ft. " The cement manufacturers are trying to create an artificial demand  to jack up the price. When Tamil Nadu faced such a crisis the government itself came to the sector's rescue by launching 'Amma cement'. The state government must intervene to check the 'artificial' price hike," Viju said. 

Since the state is dependent on the neighbouring states for its cement requirements, the vaulting  prices will push the construction sector into a deep crisis,"  the office-bearers said. "At present,  Maple leaf, a Pakistani cement manufacturing company, too has started selling  cement in Kerala.  "So it's the time the government should take an early decision on manufacturing cement in the state," they said.