The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service reported on the ongoing economic conflict between Russia and Belarus, which arose over cement. The largest Russian producer, 'Tsemros', will switch to a four-day workweek starting October 1 due to an excess of construction materials and a decline in sales. The holding company owned by Oleg Deripaska is considering measures to protect local producers by limiting imports and introducing anti-dumping duties.
According to intelligence reports, the 'culprit' for the oversaturation of the cement market is Belarusian cement, which is pushing out Russian products along with imported cement from other countries. Russian producers plan to cap imports at 1.5 million tons per year to ensure additional load for local capacities and avoid market declines until 2025.
The economic conflict between Russia and Belarus over cement is currently reported by the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service. Russian cement producers are forced to take measures to protect their interests in the market, as competition from Belarusian cement of import origin becomes increasingly palpable. Plans to limit imports indicate that the situation may worsen if producers do not find a way to resolve the conflict.