DUSHANBE, March 17, Asia-Plus  -- Three new textile mills are expected to have been put into operation in Tajikistan by the autumn, Asia-plus ahs learned at the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

The source at a MoI said that the new textile mills will be opened in Yovon, Saraband and Zafarobod.  

As it had been reported earlier, the textile mill in Yovon is being constructed by the Dushanbe company HIMA, the textile mill in Sarband will be launched by TAMER, and the textile mill in Zafarobod is being constructed by the Khujand company Khujand-Invest-Cotton in cooperation with Iranian partners.  

Under national light industry development support program designed for the period until 2015 seven textile enterprises are scheduled to be constructed in the country. 

According to this program, the whole Tajik cotton should be processed inside the country.  According to specialists, at present only 20 percent of the cotton Tajikistan produces is processed into manufactured goods in the country, while the remainder is exported for manufacturing outside Tajikistan.  

According to the MoEI, 20 textile enterprises now operate in Tajikistan; the majority of them are spinning mills.