LAHORE: The cement manufacturers have urged the government to impose regulatory duty on cement imports from Iran to save the local industry.
All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) Chairman Mohammad Ali Tabba, in a statement, said that the cement imports from Iran have touched alarming levels. “Over the last year larger and larger quantities are arriving daily and now the quantities are at an alarmingly high-level reaching about 2,000 tons per day.”
Ali Tabba alleged that despite statutory customs duty of 20%, the Iranian cement is selling at the price levels of 40% below the retail price of domestically produced cement in the Balochistan market due to connivance of customs officials.
“As a result the local markets in the areas adjacent to the Iranian border as well as the coastal area of Balochistan are flooded with Iranian cement,” he added.
It is to be noted that cement imports from Iran are coming through the Iran-Pakistan border via land routes and through railway, he said, adding, “Consequently, domestically produced cement is fast losing market as it is unable to compete with this Iranian cement because of the evasion of duties and taxes. Secondly they are also not complaint with PSQCA.”
