Nepal: Construction activities in Nepal have been impacted as a result of private cement manufacturers raising prices, allegedly through cartelisation, according to Online Khabar news. According to Ravi Singh, president of the Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal, contractors are struggling to purchase cement at the increased rates.
He said “On one hand, contractors have not been paid for completed projects, and on the other, rising cement prices have pushed many to consider halting construction altogether.”
He accused manufacturers of cutting production by up to 40% to create an artificial shortage, calling it “a tactic to manufacture scarcity and exploit the situation.”
Many contractors have already stopped purchasing cement at the new prices. Cement producers defended the price rise, claiming it corrects previous underpricing caused by ‘unhealthy competition’. The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has held discussions with producers, giving them seven days to justify the price hike and submit their price lists.
