QURGHON TEPPA, January 14, 2009, Asia-Plus — Sarband-based plant for producing mineral fertilizers, TajikAzot, is bearing losses of millions of somoni because of alack of natural gas. The plant has had to force more than 500 workers to take unpaid vacation.
The Sarband mayor Hikmatullo Rajabov told Asia-Plus today that local enterprises have lost totaling more than seven million somoni because of lack of natural-gas supplies.
“TajikAzot alone has lost nearly 5 million somoni,” the mayor said, noting that the plant on December 21 2008 had to force more than 500 500 workers to take unpaid vacation.
In the meantime, the source at Tajik state natural-gas distributor, Tojikgaz, said that TajikAzot’s gas debts have exceeded more than one million US dollars to this date.
The closed joint-stock company TajikAzot is the joint venture launched in cooperation with Cypriot company, Highrock Holding Limited, in March 2002. The JV was established on the basis of the plant for producing mineral fertilizers that was constructed in Sarband in 1964. Tajikistan owns 20 percent of the shares and the Cypriot company assumes the 80 percent ownership interest in TajikAzot.
