DUSHANBE, November 17, Asia-Plus - Compared to last year Tajikistan has reduced production and export of cotton fiber.

According to the State Committee for Statistics, over the past ten months, Tajikistan has produced 100,000 tons of cotton fiber, which is 91.1 percent of the January-October 2005 level.  Production of cottonseeds over the same ten-month period has decreased by 7.7 percent compared to January-October 2005 and amounted to 179,900 tons. 

Textile enterprises in Tajikistan produced 12,000 tons of cotton yarn in January-October 2006, which is 0.4 percent fewer compared to the same period of last year.  Over the report period, Tajikistan has produced 17.867 million square meters of cotton cloth, which is 6.7 percent fewer compared to the same period of 2005. 

 In January-October 2006, cotton fiber accounted for 8.1 percent of the country’s exports.  Over the report period, the republic has exported 86,000 tons of cotton fiber for US$91.93 million, which is 11,300 tons or US$13.3 million fewer than in January-October 2005.  

In January-October 2006, the main trade partners to Tajik cotton fiber were: Latvia – 25.2 percent; Kazakhstan – 18.8 percent; Iran – 18.5 percent; Russia – 16.4 percent; Uzbekistan – 10 percent; Ukraine – 4.8 percent, Switzerland – 2.2 percent; Turkey – 1.6 percent and Slovakia – 1.1 percent.  

Compared to 2005 an average price of one ton of cotton fiber has come down by US$12 and amounted to US$1,069.