CARMEROON: Govt Assured of Regular Cement Supply

Cement importers and local producers have assured the government of Cameroon of a constant supply of the market for the remaining three months of 2014. They said what they have requested from producing countries abroad or will be produced locally in the last quarter of the year can conveniently meet national demand at stable prices.

The stakeholders in the cement sector met with the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, yesterday October 1, 2014 to analyse the market situation so as to jointly seek solutions to problems that could disrupt the market, if any. This was in a traditional concertation within the framework of government's efforts to fight against speculation and price hikes usually detrimental to consumers.

It emerged from the discussions that domestic consumption of cement is in the neighbourhood of 2.2 million metric tons per annum with importations estimated at over one million metric tons. Local producers like Cimencam estimated that about 550,000 metric tons of the product will be needed to round off the year. Cimencam officials during the meeting disclosed that the outfit is capable of producing about 300,000 metric tons for the next three months and those of Cimaf (Moroccan firm) said the factory could produce 125,000 metric tons between now and December.

Meanwhile, Dangote, which is yet to produce its first bag, said test productions will be carried out end of October and hope is that effective production could begin in November with about 120,000 metric tons envisaged before the end of the year.

As concerns importations, main dealers like Quiferou said 265,000 tons are envisaged to be shipped in, with about 164,000 tons already on the waters en route to Cameroon. Fokou intends to import 200,000 tons within the period. While Afrique construction is eyeing 75,000 tons with 25,000 tons on the way already, Sorepco is bracing up to import 50,000 tons. Importers however expressed worries that some of their imports are already at the Douala seaport suffering under the weight of offloading procedures.

Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana assured all and sundry that the customs department is looking into the situation of the supposed floating stocks at the port and that government in a concerted manner will propose solutions within the ambit of the law. While praising local producers for their investments which he noted are in line with government's open-door policy to attract direct foreign investments, the Minister encouraged them to redouble efforts to step up local production and bail out the country from importations with adverse effects especially on the country's trade balance.