Cement prices slip in Mumbai as monsoon sets in

With the onset of monsoon, retail cement prices in Mumbai have slipped by Rs 3 per 50 kg bag in the last couple of days to Rs 172.

Industry sources said that prices will decline further in the next week by around Rs 5.

"With the arrival of rains, there has been a slowdown in the offtake leading to a decline in prices. We are expecting a further decline by Rs 3-5 in the coming week," a cement stockist in Mumbai said.

The downward trend in prices is likely to continue and cement dealers are expecting prices to slip to around the Rs 150 mark for a 50 kg bag in Mumbai by mid-July.

"The construction activity will slow down perceptibly in the next few weeks, therefore demand has already dipped," an industry official said.

Cement analysts said, "The softening of prices in Mumbai will have an impact on the prices in the neighbouring market of Pune in the next few days."

Prices in Pune are in the region of Rs 148-Rs 150 per kg bag.