Gypsum industry news

Kyrgyzstan: The government has informed the World Trade Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Commission of a temporary ban on imports of gypsum boards, tiles and other products. CA-News has reported that the ban will remain in force for six months.

US: The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says that more than 71% of the US’ total annual imports of gypsum originate in Mexico. The association has highlighted the possibility of ‘scarcity and an acute, sustained rise in building materials costs’ as a result of new tariffs. The US government imposed 25% duties on products from Mexico and fellow North American country, Canada, on 4 March 2025.

NAHB said that it will ‘continue to seek a tariff exemption for building materials.’

Kenya: The Kenyan government says that it is intensifying efforts to curb illegal gypsum mining, which is ‘rampant’ in the cement industry. Kenya News has reported that Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho claimed that 3000 unlicensed mines have already closed due to government actions since the beginning of 2022.

Joho said that Kenya’s cement sector has been ‘buying and using gypsum in cement manufacturing,’ however “There is no record of anyone licensed to mine gypsum in Kenya. There are no records on production, payment of taxes and royalties or community programmes undertaken by any gypsum dealer.” He added that this is because “They are doing it illegally.”

New Zealand: The government has launched a ‘major’ review of competition rules to combat monopolies and improve economic productivity. Fuseworks Media News has reported that the review is partly a response to a gypsum wallboard supply ‘crisis’ in 2022.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly said "We have launched a two-pronged approach: 1 – to update the competition settings in the Commerce Act to ensure our legal framework is right; and 2 – to review the governance and effectiveness of the Commerce Commission to ensure our regulatory and enforcement framework is right."