KULOB, September 7, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first eight months of this year, the Shuroobod coalfield in Khatlon’s Kulob zone has extracted 1,518 tons of coals, which is more than it was originally planned, the coalfield director Rustam Sobirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“However, we have managed to sell only 500 tons of coals to this date,” the director said, noting that realization of coals is becoming a serious problem.”

“At our request, Khatlon governor has applied in written form to administrators of all 25 districts of the province over purchase of our coals, however, there has been no any progress in this issue so far,” said Sobirov, “Quality of coals we extract is not worse than quality of those delivered to the country from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.”

According to him, they do need significant funds to invest in development of the Shuroobod coalfield, which has possible reserves of 1.9 million tons of coals.

“In the Shuroobod district, another rich coal deposit is located near the village of Dashti Jum and this deposit has possible reserves of some 300 million tons,” said the director, “”However, the country is scarcely able today to invest large funds in development of this deposit.”