DUSHANBE, January 23, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- 17 equipments for processing precious and semi-precious stones have been delivered to Tajikistan from China, Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali told reporters in Dushanbe on January 22.

According to him, six of them have already been installed in Gorno Badakhshan while the remaining 11 equipments will be installed in Dushanbe, Qurghon Teppa (Khatlon) and Qairoqqum (Sughd) in the near future.

The minister noted that under the national jewelry industry development program designed form 2009-2015 10 new enterprises for processing precious and semi-precious stones are expected to be launched in the country by 2015.