Fuel shortages and frequent power cuts have forced cement factories in Sudan's River Nile state to reduce their production by more than half.

Atbara Cement plant has cut its cement production from 120,000tpm  to 60,000tpm, said a company spokesperson. He said that the cement production in El Salam Factory dropped from 60,000tpm to 20,000tpm, El Takamol Factory from 80,000tpmto 32,000tpm, the North Factory from 120,000tpm to 50,000tpm and the Berber Factory from 70,000tpm to 30,000tpm.

A government source said the decrease in production negatively affected the state revenues and led to a rise in the price of cement about one month ago, from SDG2000 (US$ 71) to SDG5000/t.