In the Q4FY14 quarter, all India cement prices showed a growth of 4.5 per cent to Rs 305 per 50 kg bag on a y-o-y basis. In the north, due to the closure of Binani Cement´s Rajasthan plant and Ambuja Cements´ Himachal Pradesh facility, cement prices moved up to Rs 316 per 50 kg bag. This will enhance sales growth of companies, which have a high exposure to north and central regions. In the west, cement prices had gone up in Gujarat by Rs 20 per 50 kg bag while the demand in the region is steady.
Average cement prices in the region were at Rs 309 per 50 kg bag. In the east, prices and demand have been subdued and average cement prices remained flat at Rs 318 per 50 kg bag in March in comparison with Rs 319 in February this year. Cement prices have remained flat q-o-q in the eastern region as price hikes implemented at the start of the quarter retracted in the second half due to weak overall demand.
Eastern region prices were also impacted by supply influx from the Andhra Pradesh region.