KHUJAND, February 14, 2012, Asia-Plus  - The sharp hike in coal prices has been reported in Khujand, the capital of the northern Sughd province.

Local dealers note that the price of one kilogram of the brown coal from the Salyukta field in Kyrgyzstan’s Leilek district has risen from 90 diram (0.9 somoni) last winter to 1.50 somoni.  In Sughd, the largest demand is for the brown coal from the Salyukta field.

Meanwhile, five coal-extracting enterprises now operate in the province: Fon-Yaghnob in the Ayni district; Dion Angisht Tajikistan in the Panjakent district; Angisht in the Isfara district, Anzob in the Ayni district; and Koni Angishti Ghuzn in the Kuhistoni Mastchoh district.

According to the Sughd regional administration, local coal-extracting enterprises last year increased coal production by 30 percent.