Reduction of the Rate of Duty on Other Hydraulic Cements to 0%

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) wishes to announce that the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has agreed to reduce the rate of duty on Other Hydraulic Cements of HS2523.90.00 to 0%.

This decision was made further to the MTI’s monitoring of market conditions in the cement industry and the recent action by Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) to raise the price of cement by 7%. This price adjustment was the fifth increase implemented by TCL since 2021.

Increases in Price of Cement by TCL (December 2021-February2025)

Cement is a critical linkage between the manufacturing and construction sectors and is therefore, vital for the country’s sustainable development. Of paramount importance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is the availability of affordable cement to consumers.

In February 2024, Cabinet agreed to the suspension of the Quota and Registration System for Cement (Building Cement-Grey and Other Hydraulic Cements) which allows any quantity of imported cement to enter the local market.

Notwithstanding, cement remains on the Import Negative List meaning that a licence is required for the importation of the product. Applications for a licence to import cement must be submitted to the Minister of Trade and Industry and applicants are required to, inter alia:

1. be registered under the Companies Act;
2. have adequate and appropriate warehousing facilities for the safe and reliable storage of imported cement;
3. have an established distribution network; and
4. ensure that all imported cement meets the relevant CARICOM Regional Product Standards.

This licensing regime allows for the quality of imported cement to be monitored by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, to ensure consumer safety. This entails strict enforcement of the Compulsory Standard for cement on the local market which specifies the requirements for Hydraulic, Portland (Building Cement-Grey) and Blended Cements used primarily in the construction industry. The Compulsory Standard includes requirements for compressive strength, physical properties, chemical properties, packaging, labelling and the means of determining compliance to these requirements.

The duty reduction will be effected by the publication of the necessary Legal Orders which will be completed in the next few days. The MTI wishes to assure the public that it will continue to monitor market conditions and ensure that critical products such as cement remain accessible and affordable.