About 12 cement retailer shops have been closed after they were found escalating prices. The step came after the government announced that it has barred the importation of cement to the country.
In a similar fashion 10 pepper shops in the Merkato area were also closed this week after they were discovered to have been selling above the 450 birr price tag per quintal.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, in his parliament address on Tuesday March 18, said that the government would take severe measures on traders that escalate prices. The action to close these shops came right after his comment.

Prices of commodities were shooting up quite high in the last couple of months that scared many. However after VAT and ToT were lifted on grains prices of commodities are lowering considerably in the last couple of days.

Soap producers also had announced that they would stabilize the market by distributing soap to Kebeles.

They stated that the recent rise in raw materials for producing soap triggered for the rise in the retail price that has gone the by over 200%.

Accordingly, cement and steel prices have risen considerably in the last two weeks affecting the booming construction industry.