[Uae] Silica Sand Duties "Should Be Removed"

The customs duty on import of sand used to manufacture glass should be waived, say industry experts. The price of glass in the UAE rose by 20% in 2007 largely because of the increased cost of silica sand. The UAE Government recently lifted customs duties on cement and steel, and the same action should be taken with respect to silica sand, said Hamid Zarkesh, CEO of Alzar FZE, the Dubai-based agent of the German glass company Zippe. The sand found in the Gulf does not, in its natural form, have the correct properties to make glass, although it can be processed to make it suitable. The UAE and the rest of the GCC are rapidly growing markets for the glass industry, particularly for companies supplying the construction sector.