DUSHANBE, October 23, 2014, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s aluminum exports over the first nine months of this year have fallen nearly 40 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Over the reporting period, Tajikistan has exported 94,400 tons of primary aluminum, which is 39.7 percent fewer than in January-September 2013,” an official source at one of Tajikistan’s economic agencies told Asia-Plus in an interview.
In January-September last year, Tajikistan reportedly exported 156,600 tons of primary aluminum.
In September this year, Tajikistan exported 10,200 tons of primary aluminum, the source added.
This year, the major trading partners to Tajikistan’s primary aluminum were Turkey, Russia, and China.
Last year, Tajikistan exported 200,000 tons of primary aluminum, which was 25 percent fewer than in 2012. In 2012, Tajikistan exported 265,000 tons of aluminum.
Tajikistan relies heavily on the smelter''s earnings.
The aluminum plant, run by the Tajik Aluminum Company (Talco), was launched in late March 1975. It is one of the ten largest aluminum smelters in the world. Tajikistan does not mine alumina but imports the raw material through tolling arrangements.
