News & Events in Belarus
Lukashenko: Turkmenistan should become a flagship potash manufacturer in Central Asia
GARLYK, 31 March (BelTA) – Turkmenistan should become a flagship potash manufacturer in Central Asia, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at an official ceremony to open the Garlyk mining and processing factory, BelTA has learned.
“Together we have implemented a huge project that will bring considerable benefits to our peoples. I wish your plans of constructing two more such factories come true and Turkmenistan to become a flagship potash manufacturer in the Central Asian region,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
A new line of the mining and chemical industry with the total capacity of up to 1.5 million tonnes of products a year was virtually a grassroots project for Turkmenistan.
“There were a lot of problems at the time we launched the project. We overcame them all. It was a matter of honor for Belarus that Turkmenistan gets an advanced enterprise. The fulfillment of this task was a serious exam both for us and Turkmenistan. It turned to be valuable experience for us as well,” the head of state said.
Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow emphasized the importance of such a production facility for the country. The commissioning of the factory heralded a start to a new and promising line of the country's mining and chemical industry. In his words, the factory will meet the needs of the domestic market and will also be able to export its product.
The Garlyk deposit of potassium salts is located in the southeast of Turkmenistan. It was discovered in 1964-1966. Back then, the Soviet Union did not have necessary technologies to build such an advanced production facility.
In 2010, the Belarusian general contractor Belgorkhimprom signed a contract for the turnkey construction of the Garlyk mining and processing factory with Turkmenhimiya State Concern.
The cost of the project was estimated at $1 million. Partaking in the construction project were 14 Belarusian and 22 Turkmen organizations. The total number of workers exceeded 2,300 people, with Belarusian builders accounting for more than a half of them.
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