In 2020, Tajikistan’s external trade turnover amounted to 4.557.8 billion U.S. dollars, which was 100.8 percent of the 2019 level or 34.1 million U.S. dollars more, Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade Zavqi Zavqizoda told reporters in Dushanbe on February 19.
According to him, exports of goods last year amounted to 1.406.9 billion U.S. dollars, which is 19.8 percent or 232.5 million U.S. dollars more than in 2019.
Imports of goods into the country in 2020 reportedly amounted to 3.150.9 billion U.S. dollars, which is 5.9 percent or 198.4 million U.S. dollars fewer in 2019.
“Last year, imports from major trading partners of Tajikistan decreased. Thus, imports from China decreased by 27.6 percent, from Turkey by 16.6 percent, from Japan by 29.7 percent, from Ukraine by 29.4 percent,” the minister said.
The main items of Tajikistan’s imports last year were technological equipment, raw materials for processing industry, machines and other necessary goods, Zavqizoda noted.
“The fact that an average export price has decreased by 222 U.S. dollars for one ton of primary aluminum, by 126 U.S. dollars for one ton of cotton fiber, and by 111 U.S. dollars for one tone of ores has not affected the export volumes,” the minister added.
It is to be noted that primary aluminum and cotton fiber are the main items of Tajikistan’s imports.
Zavqizoda also noted that the country’s gross domestic product last year was 82.5 billion somonis.
He specified that the real growth of the country's GDP last year was 4.5 percent (3-percent decrease compared to 2019).
“Compared to 2019, domestic trade last year fell 6.8 percent, investment in fixed assets fell by 4.6 percent, and passenger traffic fell by 2.5 percent,” Zavqizoda said.
