DUSHANBE, July 10, 2009, Asia-Plus  - The source at Dushanbegaz (Dushanbe natural-gas distributor) told Asia-Plus today that prices of natural gas imported from Uzbekistan have been raised by 14.8 percent for all categories of gas consumers in the country.

“Since July 1, the rate of Uzbek natural gas for residential customers has been 1,330 somoni per 1,000 cubic meters while before that it was 1,164 somoni per 1,000 cubic meters,” the source said, noting that rise in natural-gas prices has resulted from the fall of the national currency, the somoni, against the dollar.

“If the exchange rate changes we will review the rates,” he said, noting that Tojiktransgaz (Tajik state natural-gas-distributor) now owes roughly 14 million U.S. dollars to Uzbekistan.