Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr I. Khalilova / Azerbaijani Investment Company (AIC) expects the new 'Azerbaijani Salt' Production Association to be registered by the Justice Ministry of Azerbaijan, AIC Executive Director, Anar Akhundov, said on 27 August.
"After registration, the purchase and installation of the European equipment will begin in the enterprise," Akhundov said.
According to him, the enterprise may begin its activity no later than one year.
The key purpose of the investment project is to construct an iodinated and purified salt producing plant in Masazyr. The salt will be colleted from plots located in the Masazyr Lake and then iodinated. Salt supplies from Turkmenistan are also expected.
Urgency in the iodine deficiency problem was displayed by the project 'Deficiency of Iodine and Iodination of Universal Salt' implemented under the donor support of UNICEF.
The AIC has intentions to invest $2.9mln into the project and purchase 25% of the authorized capital of 'Azerbaijani Salt'.
There are plans to produce 100 tons of white iodinated salt per day, and 30,000 tons per year.