Tajikistan is expected to increase production of primary aluminum next year. In 2019, Tajikistan intends to produce 245,500 tons of primary aluminum.
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Nematullo Hikmatullozoda said on August 3 that Tajikistan has produced 46,700 tons of primary aluminum over the first six months of this year, which is 2,800 tons less than in the same period last year.
He attributed the decrease in aluminum production in the country to the fall in international prices for aluminum.
“Current price for one ton of primary aluminum 2,199 U.S. dollars, which is 307 U.S dollars more than last year. Next year, the aluminum prices are expected to rise even more, and therefore, Tajikistan plans to increase aluminum production next year to 245,500 tons,” Hikmatullozoda noted.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry of New Technologies, Shavkat Bobozoda, told reporters in Dushanbe on August 1 that Tajik aluminum smelter has produced 54,800 tons of primary aluminum in January-June this year, which is 3,000 tons less than in the same period last year.
According to him, decline in aluminum production has resulted from ongoing major repairs at the aluminum smelter.
“The state-of-the-art equipment will be installed at the plant that will allow reducing electricity consumption three times,” Bobozoda said.
Tajikistan has reportedly exported some 48,000 tons of primary aluminum over the same six-month period and more than 4,000 tons of primary aluminum has been processed into manufactured goods in Tajikistan itself over the report period.
Recall, Tajikistan last year exported some 103,000 tons of primary aluminum, which is 29,000 tons less than in 2016. In 2017, the international price for one ton of primary aluminum was 1,970 U.S. dollars.
The Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) is one of the ten largest aluminum smelters in the world. It consumes more than 30 percent 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. THz Tajik aluminum smelter has a rated capacity of 517,000 tons of primary aluminum per year. On April 3, 2007, TadAZ was officially renamed to TALCO – Tajik Aluminum Company.
