Government of Sri Lanka is to Import Cement From Pakistan to Ease Shortages

The Government of Sri Lanka is to import cement from Pakistan through the recently set up State Trading Co-operative Wholesale Company Limited to meet the islandwide cement demand and counter the shortage created by errant traders concealing their stocks, a spokesman of the Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

The agreement is expected to be signed shortly with a company in Pakistan and a bag of cement would be priced less than Rs. 700, he said.

The demand for cement has risen with the commencement of many massive infrastructure projects and although there are two local cement manufacturing factories in Puttalam and Trincomalee, the output is inadequate to meet the local cement demand.

The spokesman said many complaints have been received by the Consumer Affairs Authority regarding unfair trade including selling cement at higher prices. “CAA officials are conducting raids islandwide to fine the errant traders and arrest this trend,” he said.

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