Dealers in Ganjam demand parity in cement prices

Faced with loss of business due to the disparities in cement prices in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, the cement dealers in south Orissa's Ganjam district have urged the cement manufacturing companies to fix a uniform price of cement.

The Ganjam District Cement Dealers’ Association has written letters to the cement manufacturers on the disparities in cement prices in the two states. While the price of branded cement in Ganjam is in the range of Rs 250-270 per bag depending on the quality, the same branded cement is sold at Ichhapur, 10 km into Andhra Pradesh from Orissa border, between Rs 160 and Rs 180 per bag, said a dealer. The disparities in cement prices also exist between Ganjam and other districts of south Orissa like Rayagada and Koraput. With Ganjam being a border district, the cement dealers suffer huge losses when some intermediaries secretly pilfer cement from Andhra Pradesh to avoid paying taxes to the Orissa government.