Malawi's Ministry of Trade and Industry has issued some new cement import licences, to protect buyers from steep prices set by local monopolies.
The Ministry has called for more investors to import cement to promote competition and reduce prices, while warning against smuggled cement that may harm the public.
Prices in the southern region are higher than in the central region due to the latter having imports from Zambia, and some producers in the northern region are said to be making the government withhold import licences to maintain their monopoly.
