Chairman of the National Construction Association Susantha Liyanarachchi speaking to a briefing held today (01) urged the government that the price of cement must be controlled immediately, in the event that importers are behind the mafia of soaring cement prices.
The briefing comes in following the increased cement prices and the shortage of cement in the market.
“When there is a cement mafia, when the cement factories release 75 per cent of the stocks to the hardwares and the dealers and the small and medium scale businessman has to purchase a bag of cement for Rs. 1900 – 2000, how can this industry continue? This is why we are telling the government to stop this, or to give us a quota for a reasonable price. Should this continue, the industry will be lost,” he said.
As of now, there is a shortage of about three hundred thousand bags of cement, Liyanarachchi revealed, adding that he, however, believes that this mafia may come to an end upon the two cement factories currently in construction.
MIAP
