DUSHANBE, December 17, 2008, Asia-Plus — In January-November 2008, the external trade turnover of Tajikistan, including electric energy and natural gas, has amounted to $4.3014 billion, which is 117.9 percent of the January-November 2007 level or 652.2 million dollars more, according to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics.
The overall trade balance remained negative and has amounted to $1.64 billion.
Exports of goods in January-November 2008 have amounted to $1.3306 billion, which is 0.8 percent or $10.9 million fewer than in the same period of last year.
Imports of goods into Tajikistan over the same eleven-month period have amounted to $2.9708 billion, which is 28.7 percent or $663.1 million more than in January-November 2007.
Compared to October, Tajikistan’s exports in November decreased by 13.7 percent, while the country’s imports in November increased by 0.8 percent.
In January-November 2008, Tajikistan has had trade relations with 96 countries, including 11 CIS states.
Over the report period, the CIS states have accounted for 44.1 percent ($1.8948 billion) of Tajikistan’s external trade turnover and the far abroad countries have accounted for 55.9 percent ($2.4066 billion) of the country’s external trade turnover.
Electrical power’s share in the country’s external trade turnover for January-November 2008 has accounted for 3.1 percent. Over the report period, Tajikistan has exported 3.9934 billion kWh of electricity for 55.3 million dollars. Electricity imports over the same eleven months period have amounted to 4.7034 billion kWh for 78.5 million dollars.
In January-November 2008, Tajikistan has imported 453.6 million cubic meters of natural gas for 65.8 million dollars.
Cotton fiber’s share in Tajikistan exports over the report period has accounted for 7.3 percent. In January-November 2008, Tajikistan exported 73,800 tons of cotton fiber for 97.4 million dollars. Compared to January-November 2007 an average price of one ton of cotton fiber has increased 184 dollars, reaching 1,319 dollars.
In the meantime, Jamshed Yusupov, the deputy head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), noted that although world prices of primary aluminum and cotton fiber, which are among the main items of Tajikistan’s exports, have fallen, the country’s balance of payments will not suffer.
“Along with reduction of prices of goods we traditionally export prices of some goods we usually import have dropped as well,” said Tajik central bank official, “Thus, prices of oil products in the countries, which provide the bulk of our fuel imports, have decreased by some 50 percent. Prices of grains and wheat flour, which are imported by Tajikistan in large amounts, have also decreased. All this allows keeping the country’s balance of payments”
