Armenia faces acute cement shortage: some construction sites forced to halt

Armenia is experiencing an acute cement shortage that has now lasted more than two weeks. Cement is either unavailable in stores or is being sold in limited batches at prices at least 400 drams higher, media report.

One of the main reasons is a sharp reduction in supplies from Iran. Long lines of trucks have formed at the border, with some vehicles, according to one importer, waiting up to 16 days to cross. The situation has been further complicated by new rules in Iran, where cement is now sold through a national exchange, which has driven up prices and made purchasing more difficult for Armenian companies.

Araratcement, which recently came under state management, is operating at maximum capacity and produced more than 95,000 tons of cement in August. However, it has so far been unable to meet the sharply increased demand. According to media reports, some developers have already been forced to temporarily halt construction work due to the shortage.