KHUJAND, November 24, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The Khujand-based Tajik-Vietnamese joint venture for producing floss threads, VT-Silk, has suspended its operations.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the VT-Silk director general Le Hi Zy said that the enterprise’s operations were suspended on November 21 for technical reasons.

“We have concluded futures contracts with silkworm-breeding districts in the province on production of cocoons; however, not all of them have fulfilled their obligations,” said the director general, “Thus, silkworm breeding farms in the Konibodom district have received totaling some 60,000 US dollars but they have not supplied any kilogram of cocoon to us so far.  The Asht district is also slow in supplying cocoons.”

To ensure regular work VT-Silk needs at least 500 tons of cocoon per year, while the enterprise has received only 180 tons this year so far, according to him.  “However, we have the reserve, which is enough for work till the end of the year,” Le Hi Zy said.

He further added that personnel turnover also evoked concern.  135 persons have quitted their jobs with the enterprise since the beginning of the year, the director general said.  “The personnel turnover has resulted from irregular work of the enterprise, which has been suffering an acute shortage of raw materials over the past two years,” Le Hi Zy noted.

Some 500 people currently work with VT-Silk in two shifts at an average monthly wage of 240 somoni.  The whole VT-Silk’s output is exported to India, Thailand and Vietnam.