DUSHANBE , January 18, Asia-Plus - In 2005, Tajikistan produced 375,300 tons of primary aluminum for a total amount of 1.6908 billion Somonis, Muboraksho Makhshulov, an official with the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 17.  

According to him, this amount (1.6908 billion Somonis) is 41 percent of a total cost of industrial goods produced in Tajikistan last year.  He added that in 2004, Tajikistan produced 342,600 tons of primary aluminum.  

“Revenues made from export of aluminum amounted to US$553 million in 2005,” the MET official said, noting that last year, the price of aluminum was at the rate of US$1,500 per ton.     

“Production of aluminum is the main source of forming the revenue part of the country’s national budget,” said Mr. Makhshulov, “Increase in production of aluminum in the republic depends on expedient implementation of an agreement between the Government of Tajikistan and the Russian company RusAl.” 

The MET official noted that RusAl planned to invest in modernization of ten electrolysis workshops at the Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) and construct two other electrolysis workshops with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons at the plant.  A total amount of Russian investment in the aluminum production in Tajikistan is expected to exceed US$750 million.