Nath: Strict measures

New Delhi, May 2: The government today said it could allow cement imports from Thailand, increase purchases from Pakistan and take administrative measures to control prices of the commodity.

Cement manufacturers said they were ready to cut prices if the government reduced coal prices and rationalised excise duty rates so as to make their products competitive vis-à-vis import.

“If the cement prices continue their upward trend, we can also increase our import from Pakistan. Even, Thailand has shown interest in selling cement to India and we can consider that option,” commerce minister Kamal Nath said.

He said he would hold talks with cement makers in the second week of May.

Countering allegation of a price hike, H.M. Bangur, president of the Cement Manufacturers Association, said, “Cement prices have increased by 4-5 per cent in the April-2007-to-April-2008 period at an all India level.”

He said coal contributed 65-70 per cent to the production cost of cement and its prices had increased about 120 per cent in the last one year.