Doha - Qatar will soon start importing cement from Saudi Arabia as the latter is expected to issue within the next few days a decision lifting the ban on cement export.
Mohamed Ali Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC), told reporters on the sidelines of a conference that Saudi officials who participated in the event told him that their country will soon take a decision allowing Qatari importers to bring Saudi cement here. "We prefer to deal with Saudi Arabia because of easy transportation as it is the only country Qatar shares land border with."
Before the ban, Qatar was importing 5,000 tonnes of cement and clinker a day from Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi decision will have a positive impact on the local market as it would lead to price stability and increase cement supply to cater to major projects.
Talking about prices, Al Sulaiti said the prices were now stable at QR250 per tonne and the tag of washed sand is QR22 per tonne. The global financial crisis has had no impact on the local market since companies are still buying and no defaults in payments have so far been reported.
"Though there are no accurate statistics about the demand for cement, the QNCC is contacting large cement consuming companies like Barwa Real Estate Company, Al Diyar Real Estate Company and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) to find out their actual requirement."
He added that the QNCC will increase its production capacity of clinker to 100 per cent by next month. The local production covers 75 per cent of the market demand
© The Peninsula 2009
