HARARE – The government has moved to ease nationwide cement shortages by approving large-scale imports and waiving some regulatory requirements, as pressure mounts from a construction boom that has pushed demand far beyond local production capacity.
In a statement on Monday, the minister of industry and commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu said the country has faced “constrained supply” due to a combination of factors, including a widespread shortage of clinker — the key raw material in cement manufacturing — as well as plant breakdowns and scheduled maintenance at several major producers such as Sino Zimbabwe, PPC and Lafarge.
The surge in construction activity has seen demand for cement almost triple since 2017, the ministry said, attracting new investment but also stretching existing producers.
Two new cement plants are expected to come online in 2025, both in Hwange, while another entrant begins operations late next year.
Despite these expansions, current domestic output “is still not adequate,” the ministry warned, noting that rising demand in Zambia, which supplies nearly 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s cement imports, has created bottlenecks at loading points and slowed deliveries.
Officials also raised alarm over “speculative and criminal” price hikes by some traders taking advantage of the shortages. Cement which normally retails for $12 per 50kg bag is now selling for as much as $17.
To stabilise the market, the ministry has issued 145,000 tonnes of cement import licences since early October and says imported product has now started arriving. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) is carrying out loss-control checks on importers accused of evading surtax, which the ministry said has contributed to delays at Chirundu.
Sino Zimbabwe has resumed production and PPC’s Bulawayo plant, which recently suffered breakdowns, is now back online, offering some relief to the market.
The government urged the public not to panic-buy, saying manufacturers have not increased their prices.
Import licences are now being issued in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru, and the requirement for a Consignment-Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) certificate has been waived until December 20, 2025, to speed up processing.
Looking ahead, the ministry said Zimbabwe is on track to achieve a cement production surplus by the end of 2026, with more major investments expected to come on stream.
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