In the first six months of the year, Tajikistan produced 496,600t of cement according to the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, and is on course to double annual production in 2014.

The Yovon cement plant (Huaxin Gayur Cement Co Ltd), which was introduced into operation in late September last year, has reportedly produced 362,800t of cement in January-June, which was more than 70 per cent of the overall volume of cement produced in Tajikistan over the report period.

Yovon cement is a Tajikistan-China joint venture, and uses coal as fuel to produce two types of cement – M-400 and M-500. It has a capacity of 1Mta of cement and uses dry-process technology.

Meanwhile, OJSC Tojikcement (Dushanbe cement plant) has produced 101,600t of cement over the same six-month period.

Last year, Tajikistan reportedly produced 385,000t of cement.

Tajikistan’s annual requirements in cement have risen in connection with construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) and new highways.