The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce & Industry has established pricing guidelines for the sale of cement in the kingdom.

The factory price of a cement bag is SR12 ($3.2) and the retail price is SR14. The price of bulk cement has been fixed at SR240 a tonne, according to local press reports.

Cement production in the kingdom increased by 13 per cent year-on-year in February. Output from 13 companies rose to 4.4 million tonnes last month, according to data on the local Yamamah Saudi Cement Co website.

The rise in output follows a ban on export sales of cement by Saudi-based manufacturers in February, which was designed to address ongoing domestic shortages.