Cement prices to increase by January as govt hikes import duty on petcoke

Total petcoke consumption in India increased by 34% in October this year

Despite Supreme Court relaxation on the use of petcoke by cement companies, the prices of cement are likely to go up by Rs 3-4 a bag by mid-January, as the government has decided to hike the import duty on petcoke from the current 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

Sector analysts projected that the hike will result in the average cost of production for cement firms going up by Rs 50-60 a tonne and it is likely that firms will pass over the rise in higher costs to the consumers.

"In case they (cement companies) are not passing it