During a working visit to the northern province of Sughd, President Emomali Rahmon has been seriously concern over the closure of a large number of industrial enterprises in the area.     

The concern came during an address to a meeting of regional administrators in Khujand, the capital of Sughd province, on April 10. 

The Tajik president’s official website says that speaking at the meeting, the head of state noted that over the first quarter (January-March) of this year, 29 industrial enterprises were not in operation and 20 other industrial enterprises were shut down. 

Compared to January-March last year, the volume of production in the province over the first quarter of this year has risen only 6.0 percent.

“Over the first three months of this year, the province has produced a total of 6.1 billion somonis worth of worth of industrial goods, which is only 6.0 percent more than in the same period last year comp,” the president said 

It was noted that the growth rate of this indicator during this period decreased by 4.1 percent, according to the Tajik president’s official website. 

Emomali Rahmon reportedly emphasized the necessity of attracting investments and using advanced technologies for industrial development.  

Last year, Sughd province received more than 6 million somonis in foreign investments, which is 32.8 percent fewer compared to 2022.  The inflow of direct investment during this period reportedly decreased by 71.3 percent.  

The president also pointed to the necessity of eliminating deficiencies in the province’s agrarian sector.

It was noted that because of problems with pump stations and reduction in irrigated areas, areas under cotton have decreased by 9,000 hectares and areas under potatoes have decreased by 2,300 hectares.

Local authorities were reportedly instructed to increase attraction of foreign direct investments, create favorable conditions for activities of investors.