India: fresh calls for Kerala to control rising cement prices

The price of cement in Kerala – which has reached up to INR430/bag (US$6.40) – has again provoked calls for the state government to intervene, reports the Hindu.

The newspaper quotes a cement dealer in Kochi who claims that cement prices in Kerala are INR200 higher than in other parts of India. While companies had not raised prices, they have stopped offering discounts to dealers, the Hindu’s source told the newspaper.

“The cement companies have stopped providing the benefits that were offered earlier. Even the payments that are due to the dealers from the companies for the last year have been held up,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Government Contractor’s Association of Kerala criticised the state government for allowing prices to rise so high.

State-owned cement company, Malabar Cements, has been struggling to meet demand as its Cherthala plant has been out of commission for the past two months.