A mini sugar mill with monthly capacity of 10 tons has been introduced into operation in Jaloliddin-Balkhi district, Khatlon province this month.
Dushanbe-based weekly Farazh says the mini sugar mill has been built by local young entrepreneur Rustam Musoyev in Dehqonobod village and Jaloliddin-Balkhi chairperson Kholmurod Rahmon attended an official opening ceremony of the enterprise.
Speaking at the enterprise opening ceremony, Rahmon, in particular, noted that the enterprise will help reduce unemployment in the district.
Rustam Musoyev, speaking at the ceremony, said he had brought the sugar producing equipment from Turkiye.
According to him, the equipment allow producing up to 10 tons of refined sugar be month.
It is to be noted that to-date, this mini sugar mill is the only sugar refinery in Tajikistan. Attempts to organize production of refined sugar based on imported raw materials have been made in the country before as well. However, these attempts have proved unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan plans to increase granulated sugar imports within the next few years. According to the forecast of the main macroeconomic indicators of the country, the granulated sugar imports will rise 20 percent from 2023 to 2025, reaching 224,000 tons.
According to statistical data from the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, Tajikistan last year imported US$94.8 million worth of more than 140,000 tons of sugar.
According to some sources, Tajikistan’s sugar consumption rate is 16.8 kilograms per capita per year, which almost similar Turkmenistan (18.7 kilograms) and Uzbekistan (17.8 kilograms).
Uzbekistan reportedly tops Central Asian nations in sugar production. Over the first seven months of last year, Uzbekistan’s large sugar mills produced 402,100 tons of sugar, which is 9.1% more compared to the same period of 2022. In Uzbekistan, sugar is produced mainly in Khorezm region and Angren district.
