DUSHANBE, February 20, Asia-Plus — In January 2008, a share of aluminum in Tajikistan’s export accounted for some 79 percent, according to the State Committee for Statistics.
In the meantime, Suhrob Rahimov, the head of the department for analysis and statistics of the Customs Service, said that compared to January 2007 export of aluminum last month reduced. Tajikistan last month exported aluminum for $87 million, which is $10 million fewer than in January 2007, Rahimov said.
According to him, the Netherlands and Turkey were Tajikistan’s main trading partners.
It cannot be ruled out that reduction in share of aluminum in Tajikistan’s exports will continue in February as well.
We will recall that unusually cold weather and electricity shortages have led to a 20 percent reduction in electricity supplies to the Tajik aluminum smelter. Severe electricity shortages resulted in the daily electricity supplies to the Tajik aluminum plant having been reduced from 21 million kWh to 16 million kWh.
In 2007, Tajikistan exported aluminum for some $1.11 billion.
The Tajik aluminum smelter has the rated capacity of 517,000 tons per year. In 2007, Tajik Aluminum Company (formerly Tajik Aluminum Plant or TadAZ) produced 418,000 tons of aluminum.
