DUSHANBE, May 8, 2014, Asia-Plus – Tajik Minister of Agriculture Qosim Rohbar met with Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusyi in the Belarusian capital Minsk in early May to discuss delivery of farming machines manufactured by Minsk Tractor Works, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

An official source at a MoA says the sides, in particular, considered opportunities of easing delivery of Belarusian farming machines to Tajikistan on a leasing basis.

Issues related to further cooperation were also discussed at a meeting of Tajik delegation with top managers of Minsk Tractor Works, the source added.

We will recall that a joint venture to assemble Belarusian tractors is expected to be launched in Kulob, Khatlon province.

Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) is a major industrial enterprise in Minsk.  It is a part of the association "Industrial Association "Minsk Tractor Works" (POMTZ).  In addition to the main plant in Minsk, the association includes a number of plants that produce parts and attachable tools for tractors and other vehicles produced by MTZ.

The plant manufactures over 62 models of vehicles.  Its main civil production has been four-wheeled tractors of model MTZ , known as Belarus .

It must be noted that a joint venture to assemble Iranian tractors was launched in Dushanbe in 2006.  TajIran was established by an agreement signed in Dushanbe in mid-June 2006.  Under agreement Tajikistan owns 49 percent of the shares and Iran assumes a 51% ownership interest in the company. The enterprise’s authorized capital is US $10 million.  The enterprise that was introduced into operation on September 22, 2006, was expected to assembly 500 tractors a year.

In 2007, the enterprise reportedly suspended assembly of tractors because Iranian tractors turned out noncompetitive due to high retail prices.  Tajik farmers preferred to purchase Belarusian or Uzbek tractors.

Examination showed that high retail prices resulted from high import duties for component parts and Tajik taxes on the sale of finished commodities.

This problem was solved in early 2008 but the line for assembling Iranian tractors is not yet in operation, the source added.