BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 6
By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:
Uzbekistan reduced imports of Portland cement in 2019 in physical volume by 6.8 percent to 3.27 million tons, while in monetary terms - by 13.1 percent to $153.5 million, Trend reports via Uzbek media.
In particular, imports of Portland cement from Kazakhstan fell by 31.5 percent to 973,700 tons in physical terms, from Tajikistan by 2.6 percent to 846,800 tons, from Turkmenistan by 20.4 percent to 256,500 tons. Meanwhile, the import of Portland cement from Iran increased by 84.6 percent to 587,600 tons and from Kyrgyzstan by 10.9 percent to 571,400 tons.
The weighted average cost Portland cement from Kazakhstan for this commodity position last year was $50.93 per ton ($50.17 in 2018), Tajikistan - $50.85 ($50.12), Iran - $29.87 ($47.02), Kyrgyzstan - $52.13 ($50.96), and Turkmenistan - $46.84 ($50.08).
In January 2018, by decree of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, importing cement clinker (intermediate product) from 18 January 2018 was introduced a zero rate of customs duties until January 1, 2020. However, this benefit was decided to abolish on October 1, 2019.
At present, six large and 19 small cement enterprises with a total capacity of 11.1 million tons are operating in Uzbekistan.
The largest of them are JSC Kyzylkumcement (3.1 million tons), JSC Ahangarancement (2.2 million tons) and Sherabad Cement Plant (1.5 million tons).
In the middle of October 2019, in Surkhandarya region, LLC Surkhantsementinvest was put into operation with the capacity of 1.1 million tons, 750,000 tons of which are planned to be exported. The cost of the project was $144 million.
At the end of 2017, international Eurocement Group, which owns Akhargarantsement JSC, signed an agreement with Chinese Beijing Triumph International Engineering Co. for the construction of a cement plant with a capacity of 2.4 million tons for $162.9 million. Its commissioning is scheduled for 2020.
Earlier it was reported that production of Portland cement in Uzbekistan increased by 15.9 percent in 2019 compared to the previous year and reached 9.68 million tons against a decline of 1.7 percent in 2018.
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