DUSHANBE, July 25, 2012, Asia-Plus — Production at Tajikistan’s state-owned aluminum smelter has reportedly fallen 3.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) in the first six months of 2012.
Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sharif Rahimzoda remarked this at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 25. According to him, Tajikistan Aluminum Company (TALCO) has produced 144,661 tons of the metal in January-June this year versus 150,467 tons in the same period last year.
“Stoppage of Uzbek natural-gas supplies in April this year hit output,” said the minister, “TALCO was forced to produce syngas (synthetic gas) from coal. Two furnaces of the smelter have been shifted to this alternative fuel. In April, the enterprise produced some 14 million cubic meters of syngas for its needs.”
Rahimzoda noted that TACLO planned to produce some 332,000 tons of aluminum this year. Last year, Tajik aluminum smelter reportedly produced 280,000 tons o aluminum.
“In January-June this year, Tajikistan has exported 140,000 tons of aluminum, which is 32,000 tons, or 8 percent, fewer than in the same period last year,” the minister noted.
We will recall that Reuters quoted a source close to TALCO’s management as saying in June that production at Tajikistan”s state-owned aluminum smelter, the largest in former Soviet Central Asia, fell by 7.4 percent YoY in the first five months of 2012 after an extensive plant revamp.
TALCO produced 122,338 tons of the metal in January-May 2012 versus 132,058 tons in the same five months last year, the source, who declined to be named, told Reuters.
The main reason for the decline was lower monthly production rates in early 2012 as the smelter ramped up output following a modernization program completed toward the end of last year.
The smelter”s production is crucial to the economy of Tajikistan. The metal accounted for 45.1 percent of Tajikistan”s export revenues in the first quarter of 2012.
TALCO still plans to meet its 2012 output target of 332,500 tons after the resumption in April of gas supplies from Uzbekistan. Its neighbor cut supplies for the first 15 days of April before a new contract was signed.
If it meets its full-year target, TALCO would restore production approximately to 2010 levels after a 20 percent decline to 277,584 tons in 2011, Reuters said.
