Officials of the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration have prohibited a Chinese-owned cement factory from selling its products in the market. A letter dispatched to regional trade bureaus last week states the cement produced by Huang Shan Cement Plc does not meet standards and poses "a threat to public safety and the economy." The letter compels the company to recall all of its products from the market at its own cost. The company began production at its plant in Modjo town, 75Km south of Addis Abeba, in late 2010. It is one of 14 cement factories in the country. The Ministry's decision comes as cement prices continue to surge. Retailers in the capital's Megenagna area, a hub for cement retail, were selling a quintal for 1,200 Br last week.