DUSHANBE
, June 22, Asia-Plus — New method of realization of cotton fiber introduced in the country in March this year has been suspended.
Abdukarim Hikmatov
,
Tajikistan
’s Deputy Minister of Industry, has told Asia-Plus that such a decision was made at a meeting of a government group that discussed shortcomings of this method. Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov, Economy and Trade Minister Hakim Soliyev, Industries Minister Zayd Saidov, Agriculture Minister Voris Madaminov, the Antimonopoly Committee head Rahmonali Amirov and other officials took part in the meeting’s work, according to Mr. Hikmatov. The meeting made a decision to review the method and make changes to it because it really put domestic producers at a disadvantage.
“The relevant bodies are to work out a draft government resolution on a procedure of the realization of cotton fiber and submit it for consideration to the government within a month after making of the decision,” Abdukarim Hikmatov said. According to him,
Tajikistan
’s Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange is ordered to use the method of August 17 12005 under which domestic and foreign textiles producers have equal opportunities to purchase cotton fiber.
As it had been reported earlier, new method of realization of cotton fiber was introduced in
Tajikistan
in March this year. High domestic cotton fiber prices have hurt Tajik producers. If one month ago [in February] a ton of cotton was sold for $948 to both domestic and foreign producers, the price in March went up $109 for domestic producers.
In mid-May, the largest enterprise of the country’s light industry, Tajik-Korean joint venture “Kabool-Tajik Textiles” suspended its activity for an uncertain time following introduction of the new method of the realization of cotton fiber. According to Mr. Hikmatov, the joint venture is supposed to resume its activity at the end of this week. For standing idle for a month, the enterprise has incurred losses of 4.6 million Somonis.
Local experts say that only 12.4 percent of the cotton
Tajikistan
produces is processed into manufactured goods in
Tajikistan
, while the remainder is exported for manufacturing outside the country.
