Malawi removes restrictions on cement imports

The Malawi government said on Friday that it had lifted restrictions imposed on the importation of cement into the country.

Speaking in Lilongwe, Industry and Trade Minister Ken Lipenga said removing the restrictions was meant to ease the current scarcity of cement in the country which has retarded progress in the construction industry.

"The action is expected to facilitate free flow of cement without compromising quality which is expected to be maintained by the Malawi Bureau of Standards," he said.

In view of this, he said, all importers of cement are not required to obtain an import licence as it was previously done.

Lipenga added that the scarcity of cement in the country has occurred due to lack of raw materials like cliquor on the market from Zimbabwe, the country that supplied it.

"Due to the current situation in Zimbabwe, it has affected the quality and quantity of the raw material which the local cement company (Lafarge Investments) has been purchasing.

“This has affected the manufacturing in the country, hence the scarcity," he said.

The minister said that there will be a long term solution because the country has discovered the lime deposits in Balaka, a southern district 100 km from commercial city of Blantyre, and it will be “easy for Lafarge to manufacture cement using our own materials.”