Tajikistan's foreign trade reaches almost $1B
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Tajikistan's net trade in the first quarter of 2019 amounted to about $964 million, which is 3.1 percent more compared to the same period last year.
The Republic exported products worth $244 million in January-March 2019, according to the Statistics Agency under the Government of Tajikistan.
Exports compared to the same period of last year increased by 0.3 percent or $700,000.
More than 40 percent in the export structure accounts for mineral products, 19 percent - for non-precious metals and products from them (mainly aluminum), 18 percent - for textile materials.
Imports of goods in the first quarter of this year made $720 million, which is 41 percent ($28 million) more than in January-March 2018.
The structure of imports is dominated by vehicles, machinery and equipment (20 percent), mineral products (20 percent), products of plant origin (12 percent).
The deficit in the trade balance amounted to $476 million.
In the first quarter of this year, Tajikistan maintained trade relations with 90 countries of the world.
Russia remains the main trade partner of the Republic, the volume of bilateral trade with which amounted to $230 million (almost a quarter of the total foreign trade turnover of Tajikistan).
The volume of trade with Kazakhstan amounted to $203 million, with China - $118 million, with Turkey - $90 million.
Today as a result of all economic reforms the national economy of the Central Asian country is gradually being restored. The state monopoly in the field of agriculture, production, trade and other industries has been actually abolished.
For example, today the share of non-governmental segment in total volume of agricultural production output amounts to over 80 percent.
Support and development of average and small businesses is one of the major component of economic reforms and one of priority activities of the Republic government. The state budget assigns means for formation and development of investment and market structures, small and average businesses.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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