About 40,000 tonnes of cement will arrive here by the end of this month following the agreement reached by the UAE Contractors Association with Nakheel Properties to import cement in large quantities from Indonesia and other countries.

Humaid Salem, the association's general manager, said a circular to this effect has been issued to its members instructing them to specify their essential requirements.

The association has already signed several agreements with cement factories abroad to supply contractors with their requirements of cement at Dh200 per tonne.

The first shipments will arrive by the end of this month, and are in line with local and US specifications and standards.

"The move reflects the association's new trend towards playing a more effective role in the building materials market to give a boost to the construction industry and reduce losses resulting from skyrocketing prices," said Salem.

Despite its limited jurisdiction, the association tried its utmost to contain the spiralling prices and find suitable solutions to resolve the situation.

The association's decision to import cement and supply local companies with their requirements does not mean it will withdraw from the Joint Committee comprising the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, cement producers and ready mix concrete retailers.

Salem confirmed the association's commitment to activate the role of the Joint Committee, which had succeeded in bringing cement prices down by 40 per cent.

Meanwhile, Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of Nakheel, said the company might resort to importing different kinds of building materials to complete its projects.

"If building materials available in the local market are not in line with our company's criteria, we will resort to meeting our requirements from outside," he said.