Cement prices in March drop, as companies eye higher volumes

Cement prices fell in March after three straight months of increase as manufacturers focussed on higher volumes. According to reports, the all-India cement prices dropped by Rs 9 per bag amounting to Rs 322. Cement prices fell for six straight months till November 2017 as RERA and GST hurt real estate demand, slowing down construction. The prices had increased in December, signalling an improvement that continued in January and February. Price cuts resumed in north India after a sharp hike in December. While the decline in the central region was the largest since July last year, the prices in east India held steady. The excessive supply at the start of the moth has forced the cement players to roll back hikes. As reported, the volume growth has been higher as a result of the increase in the capacities and the higher demand in some regions like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana due to pick up of construction activities.