There is no cement shortage in Qatar as the shortfall is being adequately met through imports. This was disclosed by the chairman of the Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC), Salem Butti Al Nuaimi, in remarks to reporters after the firm’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Tuesday. The company, he said, was producing 7000 tonnes of cement per day while the demand was 11,000 tonnes. The gap between demand and supply was being met through imports.

According to the chairman, by May this year the company hopes to raise production to 10,000 tonnes a day, narrowing the shortfall to 1,000 tonnes. Production will be augmented with a new plant (which is fourth expansion unit) coming on stream. The company’s production in 2005 was 1.2Mt, the same as in the previous year, and next year it would see an increase due to the new production line opening up.

Responding to questions about new cement factories being set up in the country, Al Nuaimi said that his company did not fear competition. "On the contrary, we welcome competition and the setting up of new plants." Qatar has an open market and entrepreneurs are free to launch new cement ventures, he added.
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