DUSHANBE, November 12, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- In January-September this year, Tajikistan has received more than  177 million cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan for 43.4 million U.S. dollars, a report by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) on financial activities of the country’s enterprises over the first nine months of this year said.

Over the report period, residential customers have received only 13.8 million cubic meters of Uzbek natural gas, which is 34.7 million cubic meters fewer than in same period of last year.

Over the same nine-month period, industrial enterprises have received 114.1 million cubic meters of Uzbek natural gas, which is half the size compared to the same period of last year. 

In the meantime, the rate of the collection of funds from the public and enterprises has amounted to 98.7 percent in January-September 2009, which is 4.4 percent more than in the same period of last year.

Compared to January-September 2008, the volume of Uzbek gas shipments to Tajikistan has decreased by 204 million cubic meters, or 43 percent.

According to the report, the country was supposed to receive 392 million cubic meters of gas from Uzbekistan over the report period.

This year, Uzbekistan sells its natural gas to Tajikistan for US$240 per 1,000 cubic meters and Uzbekistan was supposed to supply some 530 million cubic meters of natural gas to Tajikistan this year.