DUSHANBE, October 27, 2009, Asia-Plus — The state unitary enterprise, Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), has produced more than 285,000 tons of primary aluminum in January-September this year, which is 35,000 tons, or nearly 12 percent, fewer than in the same period of last year, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
Over the same period of 2009, Tajik aluminum smelter produced more than 320,000 tons of aluminum, the minister noted.
According to him, electricity and natural-gas shortages have led to decrease in aluminum production in the country. “However, the company plans to produce more than 367,000 tons of primary aluminum this year,” Hamraliyev said.
Aluminum is one of main items of Tajikistan’s exports and the plunge in the international prices of aluminum has also one of reasons for decrease in Tajikistan’s aluminum production, he added. “However, the international aluminum prices have been showing upward tendency in recent months and I believe our aluminum company will be able to come out of the difficult situation until the end of this year,” the minister said.
We will recall that over the first half-year of 2009, TALCO has produced more than 185,000 tons of primary aluminum, which is 19 percent fewer than in the same period of last year.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT), in 2008, aluminum production fell 4.7 percent compared to 2007. In 2008, TALCO produced 399,450 tons of aluminum.
The Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), headquartered in Tursunzoda, runs the largest aluminum manufacturing plant in Central Asia and is Tajikistan”s chief industrial asset.
The country has no native aluminum ore, so the raw material for the plant has to be imported. Construction of the plant proper began in 1972, and the first pouring of aluminum took place on March 31, 1975. It consumes 40% of the country”s electrical power. On April 3, 2007, TadAZ (Tajik Aluminum Plant) was officially renamed to TALCO – Tajik Aluminum Company
