DUSHANBE, December 3, 2013, Asia-Plus — Over the first ten months of this year, Tajikistan has exported 88,600 tons of cotton fiber to the total amount of 147.8 million U.S. dollars, which is more than 22 percent fewer than in the same period last year, according to the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan.
In January-October 2012, Tajikistan reportedly exported 114,300 tons of cotton fiber to the amount of 168.4 million U.S. dollars.
According to the data of the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, Tajikistan has exported 179.6 million U.S. dollars worth of textile goods over the same ten-month period, which was 11.2 percent fewer than in the same period last year.
The share of cotton fiber in total Tajikistan’s exports was reportedly 18.5 percent during January-October 2013.
Over the report period the main trading partners for Tajikistan’s cotton fiber were: Turkey – 40.2 percent; Russia – 23.7 percent; China – 12.8 percent; and Kazakhstan – 6.9 percent.
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) says that 89 cotton ginning factories now function in Tajikistan; they reportedly work only 4-5 months a year due to shortage of raw materials.
More than 90 percent of the cotton fiber Tajikistan produces is now exported for manufacturing outside the country and only less than 10 percent of Tajik cotton fiber is processed into manufactured goods in the country. Therefore, many local textile enterprises are standing idle.
Decline in Tajikistan’s cotton production reportedly results from the fall in the international cotton prices.
Tajikistan is now ranked the 41st among the world’s cotton producing countries.
Cotton makes an important contribution to both the agricultural sector and the national economy. Cotton accounts for 60 percent of agricultural output, supports 75 percent of the rural population, and uses 45 percent of irrigated arable land. At the national level, it is an important source of both export earnings and tax revenue.
