DUSHANBE, July 24, 2010, Asia-Plus — Deputy Minister of Energy and Industries, Khairullo Mahmadulloyev, told reporters in Dushanbe on July 23 that the Sughd-based state unitary enterprise, Vostokredmet (Eastern Combine for Rare Metals), and Latvian company, Itex, intend to launch a joint venture for producing jewelries.
According to him, the sides are currently conducting negotiations and if the joint venture is launched, the Latvian company will deliver equipment to Tajikistan. “To produce jewelries, the enterprise will use local raw materials,” said the deputy minister, “Besides, Vostokredmet has begun to produce 100- and 200-gram gold bars.”
However, there are certain problems with realization of jewelries, because quite a lot of contraband jewelries are delivered to Tajikistan that impedes proper operation of jewelry-producing companies in the country, Mahmadulloyev noted.
