DUSHANBE, January 30, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- in 2008, Tajikistan produced more than 16 million cubic meters of natural gas, which was 1.9 million cubic more than in 2007, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

Besides, an agreement, concluded between Tajik state natural-gas distributor, Tojikgaz, and Uzbek state natural-gas producer, Uztransgaz, on December 31 covers the import of 513.3 million cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan through 2009.  The agreement sets the price of gas imports at $240 per 1,000 cubic meters.  The total amount of the agreement is 74.4 million US dollars.

Over the report period, Tajikistan produced 25,150 tons of oil, which is 99 tons more than in 2007.

The country extracted some 200,000 tons of coals last year, which was 121 percent of the 2007 production level.  In the northern Sughd province, the coal extraction rose 28 percent through 2008, in the districts subordinate to the center – 17.1, and Khatlon – 9.9 percent.  In Gorno Badakhshan, extraction of coals quadrupled over the report period.