Cement manufacturers have raised the price of a 50-kilogramme bag by Rs. 100, citing rising production costs, in a move expected to push up building costs for households and contractors alike.
Following the revision, a 50kg bag that previously sold for between Rs. 2,100 and Rs. 2,250 now costs between Rs. 2,200 and Rs. 2,350, the Daily Mirror reported.
The companies said the increase had become unavoidable because of the rising costs associated with cement production. The Daily Mirror said the change is expected to add to construction costs, putting further pressure on consumers and the construction industry.
Hiru News reported the same revision in Sinhala, and adds a detail the Daily Mirror’s account does not carry: the increase applies to both locally manufactured and imported cement, and the prices of both will rise in the market as a result.
What neither filing states
Neither report names the companies that have revised their prices, and neither says whether the increase covers the entire market or only some producers. The Rs. 2,200–2,350 band quoted by the Daily Mirror is a range rather than a single price, which is consistent with several manufacturers pricing differently.
Neither filing gives an effective date, states whether the revision was notified to or approved by any regulator, or breaks down which input costs — energy, clinker, freight or the exchange rate — are said to have risen. No government or industry-association response is reported.
Readers should note that cement price changes are announced frequently in Sri Lanka and that the Rs. 2,350 figure in particular has appeared in earlier, unrelated revisions; this report concerns the revision announced on 8 November 2026.
Context
Cement pricing has been a recurring pressure point for the construction sector. Last week the Employees’ Provident Fund disclosed a ten percent stake in Tokyo Cement, one of the country’s largest producers.