Unhealthy atmosphere in the cement market

Baku/29.01.14/Turan : In 2013, cement production in Azerbaijan reached a historic high - 2 039.9 thousand tons, 3.8% more than in the previous year.

However, neither this nor the appearance on the manufacturing segment of the market two new members , did not affect the established in 2005 at the local cement market retail prices , which experts attributed to concerted actions oligopoly.

The Chairman of the Union of Free Consumers of Azerbaijan Eyyub Huseynov told Turan in the retail market of cement in Azerbaijan reigns situation from which only lose customers . Buyers have to pay for the goods the same price, despite the trends in the economy and market conditions on separate items . The State Service for Antimonopoly Policy and Consumer Protection did not seem to notice it , he said. He stressed that to prevent such events in the market it is needed to accelerate the adoption in parliament of the draft Code of competition.

Profitability of cement production in Azerbaijan due to high prices is high. Well earn wholesalers, importers and retailers .

According to the State Customs Committee , in 2013 the volume of exports of cement in Azerbaijan increased by 15 % to $ 152.6 million.

In 2012, Azerbaijan imported 1,027.1 thousand tons of cement for building for the declared amount of $ 85,382.5 thousand. Besides imported cement, they also imported clinker (semi-finished cement production ) in the amount of 1.1 million tons ( $ 45.6 million . ) .

Last year, the production capacity of cement in Azerbaijan increased by not less than 3 million tons (LLC Gazakh Cement Zavodu, corporation Accord and LLC Norm). - 08B-