Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia will sign an agreement on launching joint farm produce processing ventures in Tajikistan, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).
This issue was reportedly discussed at a meeting of Tajik Minister of Agriculture Saadi Karimzoda with Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Abdulrahman Al-Reshaidan.
An official source at a MoA says Karimzoda noted during the meeting that there is a big potential for expansion of bilateral agricultural cooperation between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia ambassador, for his part, reportedly expressed interest in importing Tajik agricultural goods into Saudi Arabia.
This particularly relates both to fresh and dried vegetables and fruits as well as livestock products.
The parties will sign an agreement and a memorandum of understanding on launching joint ventures on production of fruit juices and dried fruits in Tajikistan and the products will be exported Saudi Arabia and a third country, the source said.
According to him, investments from Saudi private sector will be attracted to establish greenhouses, warehouses and cold rooms for storage of fruits and vegetables, the source said.
Besides, Saudi Arabia is reportedly interested in importing Tajik honey and intends to invest in development of apiculture in Tajikistan.
It is to be noted that Tajikistan has exported nothing to the Arabic country in recent years.
Over the five months of this year, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia has valued at only 134,000 U.S. dollars. And last year, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia valued at 348,000 U.S. dollars.
