Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16
Trend:
The bilateral Tajik-Uzbek trade has increased almost 2.3 times since the beginning of this year, Kabar news agency reported with reference to the Agency on Statistics under the President of Tajikistan.
For the seven months of this year, Tajik-Uzbek trade amounted to more than $161 million, which is 2.3 times more than in the same period last year, according to the report.
At the same time, Uzbekistan this year became the second (after Moldova) country in the CIS, with which Tajikistan has a positive trade balance, and the import of Uzbek goods amounted to more than $67 million, while export of Tajik products to Uzbekistan amounted to about $94 million.
Prior to this, for all the years of the two countries’ independence, the import of Uzbek products prevailed over the export of Tajik goods.
In March this year, following the Tajik-Uzbek business forum in Dushanbe city, 16 documents were signed that envisage the export of goods and services from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan for $482 million. This is while imports of the Uzbek products are expected at $143 million.
Presently, Tajikistan exports primary aluminum, electricity, cotton fiber, ore, cement, untreated leather, cocoon, raw silk, various fabrics, alcoholic beverages, carpets and so on to Uzbekistan.
Textile products, mineral fertilizers, plastic, footwear, ceramics, non-ferrous metals, electrical and mechanical equipment are imported from Uzbekistan.
The capital outflow as a result of foreign trade stood at $1.2 billion.
In general, Tajikistan’s foreign trade continues to experience an acute imbalance: imports prevail over exports in excess of $1.2 billion.
Tajikistan, in general, exports raw materials and imports processed products - almost all the necessary finished goods.
Russia remains the main trading partner of Tajikistan, and the country’s trade turnover with Russia amounted to about $565 million for seven months of this year.
Tajikistan’s bilateral trade with Kazakhstan amounted to $491 million, with China to $383 million and with Turkey to $234 million.