DUSHANBE, July 19, 2016, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan has reportedly increased primary aluminum exports.
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the head of the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, Abdufattoh Ghoib, noted on July 19 that Tajikistan has exported about 73,500 tons of primary aluminum over the first six months of this year, an increase of 20 percent over the same period last year.
We will recall that Tajikistan exported 61,200 tons of primary aluminum in January-June last year, which was 3.6 percent more than in the same period 2014.
In January-June 2014, Tajikistan exported 60,000 tons primary aluminum.
This year, the major trading partners for Tajik aluminum were Turkey – more than 52,300 tons (more than 70.5 percent of Tajikistan’s total aluminum exports); Taiwan — more than 16,500 tons; the Virgin Islands – 288.2 tons; Uzbekistan – 133 tons; and Pakistan – about 30 tons.
Last year, Tajikistan exported nearly 131,000 tons of primary aluminum, which was 6,000 tons more than in 2014.
In 2014, Tajikistan exported 125,000 tons of primary aluminum, which was 75,000 tons fewer than in 2013. In 2013, Tajikistan exported 200,000 tons of aluminum. In 2012, Tajikistan reportedly exported 265,000 tons of aluminum.
The Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) is one of the ten largest aluminum smelters in the world and provides up to 70% of the country’s foreign currency earnings, consuming 40% of the country’s electrical power. TALCO is wholly owned by the Tajik government. Tajikistan does not mine alumina but imports the raw material through tolling arrangements.
Construction of the Tajik aluminum plant (TadAZ) began in 1972, and the first pouring of aluminum took place on March 31, 1975. On April 3, 2007, TadAZ was officially renamed to TALCO – Tajik Aluminum Company.
