Business news

MINSK, 18 May (BelTA) – Tajikistan is interested in assembling cotton farming tractors made by the Belarusian company MTZ, representatives of the company told BelTA after a delegation of the Tajikistan government visited the enterprise.

The Tajikistan government is considering organizing the joint production of tractors. The tractors may then be sold not only in Tajikistan but also in the entire Central Asia region. The assembly enterprise will make tractors cheaper for the local farmers, the Tajik side believes.

Tajik Agriculture Minister Izzatulo Sattori noted: “MTZ tractors sell like hot cakes in Tajikistan. They are best adapted to the agricultural and climatic zones in our country. They are also believed to be most reliable. It is also important that spare parts are available.”

The project to assemble cotton farming tractors is estimated at $7-8 million by the Tajik partners. “The demand is very large. There are orders from neighboring countries, too. We should conquer the market together with you,” said Akram Ruzizoda, Deputy Industry Minister of Tajikistan.

MTZ Director General Fyodor Domotenko stressed that the Belarusian company is ready to implement the project. “We are ready to consider various matters, including assembly and consequent localization of manufacturing. We will also provide full engineering support to get the assembly business up and running,” assured the executive.

At present about 26,000 tractors are in use in Tajikistan. Belarus-made ones make up more than half of them.