Reduced duty on imported cement sparks furore among EA producers
Imported cement on sale in Kigali. The commodity has also been struck off the list of sensitive items that need protection until local firms can compete. PHOTO | FILE |
The duty on cement imported into East Africa has been lowered from 35 per cent to 25 per cent, heralding good news for the construction sector. But manufacturers warn that the resultant price crash could send them out of business and lead to massive job losses.
According to a gazette notice of the EAC released last month, apart from the reduction in the common external tariff (CET), cement has also been removed from the list of sensitive products that require protection until domestic industries can compete.
