Cement prices drop marginally

Cement prices have declined slightly this month compared to February. A bag of Hima Cement costs Rwf9,200 from RWf9,300 last month and Tororo Cement is at RWf8300, down from RWf8,500 last month. However, prices for most of the other construction materials have remained stable.Prices for iron sheets, paint, tiles, nails, plumbing materials, sand, bricks and stones were unchanged from last month in most stores visited by Business Times.Gauge 32 of Mpara iron sheets is at Rwf4500, a 20-litre oil Sadolin Paint jerry can cost Rwf14,000 and Rwf10,000 for the water paint. A kilogramme of nails is Rwf1,400. Tiles cost between Rwf6,000 and Rwf7,500, depending on the size, While a truckload of hard core stones will set you back by Rwf60,000. You will part with between Rwf9,600 and Rwf9,800 for building iron bars. For plumbing materials, depending on size of the tubes, they will cost you between Rwf3,000 and Rwf9,000 in most stores around the city.The falling prices of cement prices have been attributed to an increase in imported cement from Uganda. Dismas Nsengiumuremi, a cement dealer in Remera, says many suppliers from Uganda are now finding it easy to bring it into Rwanda. Last year, authorities proposed to increase taxes on imported construction materials by 5% in a move to encourage local industries.