The East African Business Council has asked EAC governments to support local cement manufacturers if the industry is to compete favourably with imported products. The local industry is currently grappling with increased competition from imported cement from countries that enjoy lower production costs as well as subsidies since EAC finance ministers reduced Common External Tariff (CET) on cement from 40 per cent to 25 per cent.
 

“The EAC cement sector is not able to effectively compete with the low cost producers like Pakistan, China, and India because of the high production costs; not to mention the rail and road transport inefficiencies,” Ms Agatha Nderitu, the executive director of East African Business Council said.
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