Tajikistan exports cement worth $ 65.4 million in 2018
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Tajikistan is increasing production of cement, making it one of the most commonly exported products to the neigboring countries. The republic is becoming the main supplier of this type of construction material, displacing Pakistani products on the Central Asian markets.
This year was not an exception. The volume of cement exports amounted to 1.44 million tons while the value reached $ 65.4 million in 2018.
This figure in 2017 amounted to 970,100 tons worth $ 45.9 million.
Tajikistan exports this type of building material to Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Tajikistan increased cement exports but reduced the sale of primary aluminum abroad in 2018.
According to the source, last year aluminum was exported in the amount of 94,800 tons for $ 199.3 million. This figure is less by 6,600 tons, compared to 2017, and in value - by $ 1.4 million. Data on aluminum production in the country are not provided.
During the years of independence in Tajikistan, dozens of new cement plants were created using foreign investment. At the moment, there are 13 small and large enterprises in the republic, whose total annual production capacity is five million tons.
More than 80 percent of the total volume of cement produced accounts for three enterprises created with the participation of Chinese investments: Chungtsai Mohir Cement LLC (Yavansky District), Huaksin Gayur Cement (Yavansky District), Huaksin Gayur Sogd Cement (Bobojon Gafurov District).
The share of Tajik Cement (Dushanbe) in the total volume is only about 8 percent.
Tajikistan currently fully satisfies its own cement needs. Since 2015, the surplus of these products has been supplied to neighboring countries.
Neighboring countries prefer to buy Tajik cement because of its high quality and relatively reasonable cost.
Enterprises of Tajikistan produce the most popular grades of sulfate-resistant cement - M400 and M500.
In the coming years, it is planned to build and launch new cement manufacturing enterprises in Tajikistan. In particular, preliminary work began on the cement plant construction in the Kubodiyon district of Khatlon, which will become the largest in the country.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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