Turkmenistan seeks to develop textile industry

/By Azernews/

By Nigar Abbasova

Turkmenistan exports about 70 percent of the total textile production of the country to foreign market, the Turkmen government reported on July 14. The government claims that implementation of a number of projects have triggered expansion of volumes and range of the exported products.

Technological upgrade of the textile complexes as well as use of modern equipment allowed manufacturing of additional 130 tons of cotton yarn and different types of denim. Reconstruction and modernization of large clothing factories resulted in the expansion of volumes of finished products.

 Ruhabat Textile Complex comprised of two modern factories on the production of mixed yarn and producible fabric was commissioned in 2012. Retooling process was implemented in the textile complexes in Geoktepin and Turkmenbashi textile complexes.

Turkmenistan cultivates more than 1 million tons of cotton per year. Cotton industry is considered to be a basis for the development of textile production in the country. The country is planning to collect roughly 1.05 million tons of cotton from an area of 545 hectares in 2016.

Cotton yarn production in the country increased 2.4 times from 2000 to 2015, while cotton production and export of textile products increased 4 and 3.2 times respectively. Cotton is grown at the half of irrigated lands of Turkmenistan.

Earlier, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported that the country aims to further raise foreign investments, introduce new technologies, and create the most favorable conditions for investors in its textile industry.

Textile industry occupies an important place in Turkmenistan’s economic system, the country is known as a supplier of woolen carpets, as well as cotton and silk textiles of high quality. Tens of textile enterprises worth over $1.6 billion have been built in Turkmenistan throughout the years of independence.

The country seeks to achieve the diversification of national economy and has already taken steps for the promotion of such industries as textile, petrochemicals and building materials.

The major part of the products is exported to the US, Canada, Germany, UK, Russia, Italy, Turkey, China and Ukraine.