In 2024, Tajikistan produced 4.351 million tons of cement, 104,000 tons less than in 2023, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and New Technologies (MoINT).
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Minister of Industry and New Technologies on February 6 attributed the decline to the rapid growth of cement production in Uzbekistan, one of Tajikistan’s two main importers of this product, along with Afghanistan.
According to a MoINT, cement exports to Uzbekistan in 2024 dropped to 260,200 tons, down from 342,000 tons in the previous year.
Overall, Tajikistan’s cement exports reportedly fell by 286,000 tons (30.4%) compared to 2023, totaling 655,000 tons.
Previously, reports indicated that shipments of Tajik cement to Uzbekistan were effectively halted in November 2024 after the Uzbek government raised customs clearance fees for Tajik cement nearly ninefold—from US$35 to US$300 per ton.
According to Tajik exporters, these new fees made their product uncompetitive in the Uzbek market. They suspect that the sharp increase in customs duties was initiated by Uzbek cement manufacturers, who may have lobbied for government intervention to protect their businesses. However, no official document confirming such a decision has been found in open sources.
Meanwhile, Minister Sherali Kabir confirmed at the news conference that the Uzbek government had indeed adopted a policy aimed at protecting local producers.
This is not the first time Uzbekistan has imposed restrictions on cement imports. In 2020, the government temporarily banned cement imports from May 1 until the end of the year, but the restrictions were lifted after just three weeks.
Similarly, in July 2023, Tajikistan briefly banned cement exports, but the restriction was lifted after just five days. The MoINT explained that the decision was prompted by a temporary shortage of high-quality cement for strategic construction projects.
Tajikistan, along with Kyrgyzstan, has historically been one of the main suppliers of cement to Uzbekistan.
Cement remains one of Tajikistan’s main export items. According to the Tajik president’s official website, there are 15 cement plants with a total capacity of 5.5 million tons operating in the country, including five located in Khatlon province, six located in Sughd province, three located in districts subordinate to the center, and one located in Dushanbe.
However, such achievements of Tajikistan’s industry evoke concern of ecologists, who consider that excessive increase in cement production may cause irreparable harm to the country’s environment.
