The price of construction cement is 50 meticais more expensive in the cities of Maputo and Matola after a slight price decrease in May this year, caused by the start-up of the Dugongo Mozambique factory.

Cement prices have been on the rise since the last half of October, and according to Camomila Macuvele, operations manager of a dealership in Maputo City, the decrease driven by Dugongo was "a flash in the pan."

The manager explained that "cement 42.5 in the Mozambique Dugogo Cimentos factory, costs 298 meticais and here we sell to our client at 340 meticais, and we buy cement 32.5 at 283 meticais and resell it for 325 meticais.

Until October 24, a bag of cement brand Limak 42.5 cost 290 meticais, but now costs 350 meticais, and this surprised a customer of a commercial establishment in a suburb of Maputo.

I came prepared to buy at the old price, but the dealership told me there was a price increase," she said, with undisguised disgust.

The rise seems to be widespread, as cement produced by Empresa Cimentos de Moçambique has also gone up by 50 meticais.