DUSHANBE, June 10, 2015, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament today exempted two companies from paying value added tax (VAT) and customs duties on irrigation equipment.
Speaking at the session, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Umed Davlatzod noted that those companies would irrigate 24,000 hectares of lands in Khatlon province.
“Chinese company, Juntai-Khatlon Sinsulu (phonetically spelled), will irrigate 15,000 hectares of lands in Jilikul, Nosir Khusrav, Qubodiyon and Shahritous districts,” said the deputy minister. “These lands are leased for 49 years and the company pledges to create more than 30,000 new jobs for agrarians in these districts.”
The Chinese company reportedly delivers plastic pipes, pumps and spare parts to a total amount of more than 4.8 million somoni.
“Tajik company, Vodii Zarin, which operates in Khatlon’s Qumsangir district, will reclaim 9,000 hectares of lands, including 4,500 hectares that will be allocated to cotton cultivation,” Davlatzod said, noting that Vodii Zarin will create 18,000 new jobs for local agrarians.
The company has reportedly purchased more than 3.2 million U.S. dollars worth of equipment (pumps, pipes).
We will recall that Tajik Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Sijouddin Isroilov, told journalists in Dushanbe on January 15 that more than 6,300 hectares of arable lands in Tajikistan are being cultivated by Chinese investors. According to him, China’s Qinyang Inhai has rented 6,000 hectares of lands in the Danghara district (Khatlon province).
“Besides, Chinese investors have rented 300 hectares of lands in the Yovon district (Khatlon province) and 46 hectares on the outskirts of Vahdat Township,” Isroilov noted.
According to him, those lands have been allocated to cultivation of cotton and cereals.
