DUSHANBE, October 25, Asia-Plus - In January-September 2006, Tajikistan has exported more than 301,000 tons of aluminum at the rate of US$2,515 per ton, Muboraksho Makhshulov, the head of the department for foreign economic and trade policy of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on October 23.  

He noted that over the same period of last year, the country had exported some 276,000 tons of aluminum at the rate of US$1,500 per ton.  

“Over the first nine months of this year, Tajikistan has imported 604,800 tons of alumina, which is 33,400 tons more than in January-September 2005,” Makhshulov said, adding that Tajikistan receives raw materials regularly.  “At present we are considering the possibility of importing 2 million tons of alumina from India,” the Tajik official said.  

According to the Ministry of Economy and Trade, Tajikistan has a deposit of alumina in Rasht but it does not have technological equipment for processing this raw material.  

As of October 1, the debt of Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) for electricity has amounted to 85.1 million somonis (equivalent to US$25.1 million).  The plant accounts for 47.9 percent of the total debt of enterprises and organization to the Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding, which has amounted to 177.7 million somonis as of October 1.   

In January-September 2006, TadAZ has produced 309,385 tons, which is 9.7 percent more compared to the same period of last year.  

Over the same nine-month period, the plant has paid 150.9 million somonis (equivalent to US$44.5 million) for electricity consumed, which is 56.9 percent or 54.7 million somonis more than last year.  

Over the first three quarters of this year, TadAZ has transferred more than 130.6 million somonis to Tajikistan’s national budget, which is 10.8 percent more compared to the same period of 2005.