KHUJAND, March 6, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- 63 industrial enterprises in the northern Sughd province have been not in operation since the beginning of the year, the Sughd energy and industries department head Sodiq Rustamov told Asia-Plus today.

According to him, the enterprises have stood idle because of severe power shortages and the global financial crisis.

“However, the province has produced a total of 140.937 million somoni worth of industrial goods over the first two months of this year, which is 15 percent more than in January-February 2008,” Rustamov said.