Cement Shortage Sparks Concerns Among Mauritian Contractors

Mauritius is facing a severe cement shortage that is causing significant distress among local contractors. A shipment of cement arrived on Thursday, September 19, but supplies are nearly depleted, raising alarms about the future availability of this crucial building material.

The current dilemma stemmed from a significant delay in the arrival of another shipment, which was originally scheduled to reach Port-Louis two weeks ago.

This delay suggested an impending crisis in cement supply, adding further strain to the construction industry already grappling with demand that far outstrips supply.

Jean M., a local contractor, expressed his frustrations: “I’ve traveled all over the island in search of cement, and it’s been a real challenge.

This situation is hurting my clients and severely impacting construction projects. While hardware stores do offer cement, the quantities are limited.

We’ve already experienced a two-week delay, and it appeared we may face shortages again.

Just as a shipment arrived on September 19, the stock is almost gone, and some stores have run out completely due to the ongoing delays.”

For several weeks, announcements had indicated that the much-anticipated shipment would finally arrive.

However, the reality has turned out to be quite different. Numerous hardware stores are reporting insufficient supplies of cement to meet the rising demand.

One desperate contractor described the struggle: “I find myself begging at several hardware stores just to secure a single pallet.

A pallet contains 80 bags of cement, and even that is becoming difficult to obtain.”

In a busy hardware store in Vacoas, the situation appears even more dire.

The store owner confirmed, “We currently have no cement in stock.

Our suppliers have warned us that delays are expected, but this only exacerbates the situation as multiple sectors are affected. Cement transport trucks are also idle, waiting for developments.”

Kolos Cement Ltd. and Lafarge (Mauritius), which markets the Baobab brand, are the two primary suppliers of cement in Mauritius.

While a representative from Kolos claimed there was no shortage, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

Attempts to gather information from Lafarge were unsuccessful.

However, several hardware store owners mentioned that Lafarge had communicated potential distribution delays, attributed to supply chain issues related to untimely shipments.

As demand continues to exceed supply amid shipping delays, the scarcity of cement is becoming increasingly pronounced.

The ongoing shortage is posing a significant threat not only to construction projects but also to the broader economy, highlighting the urgent need for solutions to stabilize supply chains and ensure steady access to essential materials like cement.

Source: l’Express