DUSHANBE
, July 25, Asia-Plus –
Tajikistan
intends to triple its export potentials by 2015, Economy and trade Minister, Hakim Soliyev, remarked at a news conference in
Dushanbe
on July 25.
He noted that external trade turnover of Tajikistan over the past six months have amounted to US$1.4761 billion, which US$438.6 million more compared to the same period of 2005. Exports have amounted to US$671.5 million over the same six-month period, which is 55.4 percent or US$239.3 million more compared to the same period of the previous year.
The minister noted that
Tajikistan
have exported 32 types of products. The main shares of Tajik exports have been aluminum. Electricity and cotton fiber.
The aluminum share has accounted for 75.1 percent of the country’s exports in January-June 2006, according to the minister. Over the first half-year of 2006,
Tajikistan
has exported 199,000 tons of aluminum (in January-June 2006,
Tajikistan
has produced 201,000 tons of aluminum) for a total amount of US$504.3 million. The main trading partners to Tajik aluminum were the
Netherlands
,
Turkey
,
Iran
and
China
.
The share of cotton fiber has accounted for 10.2 percent of Tajik exports. In the first half-year of 2006,
Tajikistan
has exported US$68.3 million worth of 63.2 million tons of cotton fiber.
“In future, we plan to export not only cotton fiber and primary aluminum but also finished articles made from them,” Hakim Soliyev noted.
He also noted that two or three enterprises on processing of fruits and vegetables would be launched in the country in the coming several years. “We are currently negotiating issues of launching such enterprises with Iranian and Chinese companies,” the minister said.
Soliyev also noted that
Tajikistan
has exported US$24 million worth of farm produce to
Russia
and
Kazakhstan
since the beginning of the year. “Tajikistan is capable to annually export 150,000-200,000 tons of agricultural output and it will not negatively impact the domestic market,” said the minister, “In 2007, Tajikistan plans to increase areas under fruits and vegetables by 27,000 hectares at the expense of reducing areas under cotton.”
