DUSHANBE (TCA) — In the first half of this year, Tajikistan produced 73.1 thousand tons of aluminum, a 13.6-percent increase compared to the same period last year, Avesta news agency reported citing Umed Davlatzod, deputy minister of economic development and trade of Tajikistan.
In his words, this year Tajikistan plans to produce a total of 156 thousand tons, 16.4 thousand tons more than last year.
The deputy minister said the world market has seen a decreasing demand for aluminum, mainly due to the state of economies of developed countries that have an automobile industry that uses aluminum.
Decreasing demand leads to decreasing prices and production decrease. In general, the world prices for Tajikistan’s main export products — aluminum and cotton — are very volatile.
According to the Tajik Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, this year to date, the average price of aluminum in the world market has been $1,542 per ton, $239 less than last year’s average.
In the first half of this year, Tajikistan produced aluminum worth more than $113 million.
The deputy minister also said that in the first half of this year, aluminum accounted for 26 percent of Tajikistan’s total export and cotton accounted for 12.5 percent.
During this period, the export of aluminum amounted to 73.5 thousand tons, by 12.3 thousand tons more than in the first half of last year.
