Rajesh Kolli,
Gayathri Cement Stores, Proprietor
We have been serving the Kakinada region in Andhra Pradesh for more than a decade now. We don?t stock much at our shop as we arrange for the dispatch to the client?s place directly from the cement company. It saves us the warehouse charges and also unnecessary transport cost. In Kakinada, the Zuari, Rathi and India Cement brands are very popular. People like to pick up branded goods and these companies are very well known in the market.
Of late we have seen a slump in business. There is an acute shortage of sand and aggregate in the region. Since aggregates are in short supply, construction too has slowed down affecting the demand for cement. Now with the rainy season, we will have additional seasonal drop in business volume. I only hope that the new government initiates new infra projects and boosts the construction sector soon.
Cement prices have gone up and the builder associations are already retaliating against the hike. But I don?t think that there will be much of reduction in price going forward.