Companies from Tajikistan, Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan participated in the 8th international trade fair, dubbed Sughd-2022, which took place in Sughd’s capital, Khujand on June 17-18.
About 60 cooperation agreements have been signed between Tajik and foreign entrepreneurs on the sidelines of the fair.
Of them, more than 20 contracts have signed with Uzbek companies. Eleven contracts have been signed between cities and districts of Tajikistan’s Sughd province and Uzbekistan’s Jizakh region alone.
Sughd province produces thousands of tons of cement and metal profiles.
Over the first four months of this year, Sughd has exported nearly 240,000 tons of cement.
Uzbek entrepreneurs also plan to launch a number of joint cotton processing and silk production ventures in Sughd province.
Russia entrepreneurs this year have expressed interest in increasing import of agricultural products from Sughd province. Entrepreneurs from Tajikistan’s Sughd province and Russia’s Lipetsk oblast have signed 12 cooperation agreements on the sidelines of the fair.
Deputy chairman of the Sughd Chamber for Commerce and Industry, Ghairat Qobilzoda, the agreements provide for attracting tourists in Sughd province, export of canned foods, dried fruits and melons to the Russian regions, and launching joint ventures in the Sughd Free Economic Zone (FEZ Sughd).
According to Qobilzoda, export of apricots, cherries and onions from Sughd province to Russia has risen 50 percent this year.
He also noted that many Sughd companies, which had earlier had cooperation agreements with Ukraine, this year, have reoriented their exports to the Russian Federation.
According to data from the Sughd regional administration, the volume of trade of Sughd province with Russian regions over the first four months has valued at US$260 million, which is US$100 million more than in the same period last year.
On the sidelines of the fair, Sughd-based companies signed ten cooperation agreements with companies from Belarusian Mogilev region.
Iran and Tajikistan reportedly signed agreements on launching a new air route between the two countries and freight shipping. Besides, Iranian transportation company Danesh Taj (phonetically pronounced) and Tajikistan’s ABBAT (Association of International Automobile Carriers of the Republic of Tajikistan) have signed a cooperation agreement.
Turkey’s Agromia has signed two cooperation agreements with the Sughd Agriculture Directorate and FEZ Sughd. Turkish company is reportedly interested in purchasing textiles, clothes and honey produced in Sughd province. Besides, Turkey will export mineral fertilizers in Sughd province for its agrarian sector, according to Qobilzoda.
Several representatives of Saudi Arabia, who attended the fair, expressed interest in honey produced in Sughd province, Qobilzoda said, noting that Saudi Araba will sign an agreement on purchase of honey in Tajikistan.
