The price of locally produced cement in the UAE has increased for the third time since the beginning of 2003 and currently stands at 165 UAE dirhams (US$45/Euro36.2) a tonne, against 155 dirhams (US$42.2/Euro 34) a tonne previously, it was reported on December 23, 2003. Cement industry sources in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, which is the country's largest cement producer, attributed the rise to the increased local demand boosted by the large scale projects being developed at present in the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.