KHUJAND, November 13, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- 160 large and small industrial enterprises, or 95 percent of the overall number of industrial enterprises, have been privatized in the northern Sughd province since 1992 when the privatization campaign was launched in Tajikistan, according to the Sughd department for management of state-owned property.

“The highest price paid for one of local enterprises was 400,000 somoni,” said the source, “The poultry factory in the Mastchoh district was sold for 191,000 somoni, while the similar poultry factory in the Zafarobod district was sold for 164,500 somoni.”

To-date, all the sales and public catering facilities (totaling 1,120 facilities) as well as all the consumer services enterprises (totaling more than 1,300 facilities) in the area have been privatized.

“Eight percent of transport properties and 47 percent of state farms still remain not privatized in northern Tajikistan,” the source said, noting 120 state farms, or 53 percent of the overall number of state farms in Sughd, have already been privatized.

Strategic facilities, administrative buildings as well as facilities having historical value are not liable to privatization, the source added.