DUSHANBE, April 18, Asia-Plus – Over the first quarter of 2007, the external trade turnover of Tajikistan, including electric power and natural gas, has amounted to US$891.5 million, which is 128.2 percent of the January-March 2006 level or US$196.3 million more, according to the State Committee for Statistics.
The trade balance was negative and amounted to US$156.3 million.
The committee said that exports of goods over the same three-month period have amounted to US$367.6 million, which is 15.8 percent or $50.2 million more than in the same period of last year. Imports of goods to Tajikistan have amounted to US$523.9 million, which is 38.6 percent or $146 million more than in January-March 2006.
In January-March 2007, Tajikistan’s main export partners were the far abroad countries. They have accounted for 86.1 percent or $316.3 million of Tajik exports.
Imports came mainly from the CIS countries, which have accounted for 65 percent or $340.4 million of Tajik imports over the past two months.
The CIS countries have accounted for 43.9 percent or $391.7 million of Tajikistan’s external trade turnover, and the far abroad countries have accounted for 56.1 percent or $499.8 million.
Compared to January-March 2006 the trade with CIS countries over the report period has increased by 24.7 percent or $77.5 million and the trade with the far abroad countries has increased by 31.2 percent or $118.7 million.
In January-March, the balance in the trade with the CIS countries was negative and amounted to $289.1 million, while the balance in the trade with the far abroad countries was positive and amounted to $132.8 million.
Over the report period, Tajikistan has exported 629.8 million kWh of electricity for $9.5 million, and share of electricity in Tajik exports has accounted for 3.3 percent. Over the same three-month period, Tajikistan has imported 1.3665 billion kWh of electrical power for $20 million.
Uzbekistan remains the main energy partner of Tajikistan.
In January-March, Uzbekistan has imported to Tajikistan 191.4 million cubic meters of natural gas for $19.1 percent.
Over the first quarter of 2007, Tajikistan has exported 32,000 tons of cotton fiber for $34.5 million, and cotton fiber has accounted for 9.4 percent. Tajikistan’s cotton partners were: Iran – 23.2 percent; Latvia – 20.6 percent; Russia – 16.8 percent; Kazakhstan – 16.6 percent; Uzbekistan – 13 percent; Ukraine – 3.3 percent, Bulgaria – 2.8 percent; Switzerland – 1.7 percent; Belarus – 1.3 percent and China – 0.5 percent.
