DUSHANBE, October 1, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The State Unitary Enterprise Tojikcement (Dushanbe cement plant) has reduced production volume as Tojiktransgaz (Tajik natural-gas distributor) has cut natural-gas supplies to the enterprise, the Tojikcement deputy director Muzaffar Hakimov told Asia-Plus today.

According to him, the Dushanbe cement plant now works only at 25 percent of its capacity.  “We now receive only 3,500 cubic meters of natural gas per day and this amount is enough for operation of only of the plant’s furnaces,” Hakimov said, noting that the plant now produces some 300 tons of cement per day.

He noted that Tojikcement provided with cement the sites for construction of the strategic facilities.  “If the situation remains the same, Tojikcement will fail to provide those construction sites with cement,” the deputy director added.

Meanwhile Tojiktransgaz says Uzbekistan has cut natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan by 50 percent due to the roughly US$1.7 million in arrears that Tojiktransgaz owes to Uzbekistan.

Tajikistan now reportedly receives 13,000 cubic meters of Uzbek natural gas per day; of this amount, 11,000 cubic meters are distributed to the Tajik Aluminum Company and Tojikcement, while the remaining 2,000 cubic meters are distributed to industrial enterprises located in Sughd province.