Oman mulls import duty cuts on building materials

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RISING COSTS: The price of cement, along with other building materials, has soared in Oman in the past year. (Getty Images)

Oman said on Saturday it was considering reducing import duty on building materials in an effort to put a cap on rising inflation in the construction sector.

"We are revising the import duty on building materials to help reduce the cost of cement, steel and wood," Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Khalil Al-Khonji told reporters.

Al-Khonji did not say to what level the import duty would be reduced. Oman's import duties range from 5% to 15%.

Oman had restricted the import of cement two years ago to support the sale of local firms Oman Cement Company and Raysut Cement Company, but the move caused shortage in the market.

Said Al-Barwany, chairman of Al-Barwany Construction, told newswire Reuters Oman needed an extra 20,000 tonnes per day of cement to help reduce the shortage.

The price of cement has doubled in the past year, according to Baljit Singh, a building materials trader.

"A 50-kilogram bag of cement rose from 2.4 rials ($6.24) last Sunday to 3.6 rials today; it is too much. This time last year, it was only 1.3 rials per bag," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Oman Cement is in discussions with the government on plans to raise the price of cement to offset the soaring price of imported clinker, which is used to make cement, Chief Executive Jamal Al-Hooti told Reuters last week. (Reuters)

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