Cement companies in India are revising their growth expectations downward, anticipating a demand increase of only 5-7% this fiscal year, compared to 8-9% in the previous year. Neeraj Akhoury, managing director of Shree Cement, cited the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East and expected moderate monsoon conditions as potential headwinds that could affect growth. The five largest cement producers—UltraTech Cement, Adani Cement, Shree Cement, Dalmia Bharat, and Nuvoco Vistas Corp—project an impact of about ₹150 per tonne on operating profit due to rising costs of fuel, packaging, and logistics, exacerbated by a weaker rupee against the dollar. Despite raising prices by approximately ₹20 per 50 kg bag in April and an additional ₹10-15 in May, companies are struggling to keep pace with cost inflation, which is estimated at close to ₹200 per tonne. Adani Cement has also postponed its target for achieving 155 million tonnes of production capacity to FY30, reflecting the need to recalibrate costs amid these challenges.