A cement shortage has been reported in Bokhtar, the capital of Khatlon province, where residents say they cannot find the building material in markets and construction supply shops. At some outlets, the price of a 50-kg bag has reportedly reached 70 somoni.
Sellers attribute the shortage to insufficient deliveries, while manufacturers say production has not declined and output has increased compared with last year.
An Asia-Plus correspondent visited Bokhtar’s markets to investigate the situation.
Residents struggle to find cement
Dodarkhuoja, a Bokhtar resident, said he was unable to find cement for home renovations despite searching several markets and construction supply shops.
“I couldn’t find cement anywhere, the work came to a standstill, and I had to let the workers go temporarily,” he said.
Other residents reported similar difficulties. According to them, a few outlets were selling cement for 70 somoni per bag, but supplies had run out by the time they arrived.
Construction materials sellers also confirmed the shortage, saying deliveries were insufficient to meet demand.
Production has increased, officials say
The administration of Yovon district, home to three major cement plants, reported that production has increased compared with the same period last year.
The three plants produced more than 267,000 tons of cement in September 2026 alone, according to the district authorities.
Total output in January-September reached 2.15 million tons, an increase of 8,776 tons compared with the same period in 2025.
Huaxin Gayur Cement produced 142,814 tons in September and 1.1 million tons over the first nine months of the year, reaching 103.4% of its planned output.
Gayur Industrial produced 10,560 tons in September and 57,476 tons over nine months, equivalent to 133.6% of its plan.
Jungtsai Mohir Cement reported production of 113,940.5 tons in September and 987,763.92 tons from January through September.
Why is cement still in short supply?
Despite the reported increase in production, long queues of trucks have formed at cement plants in Yovon district.
Sources at the production facilities told Asia-Plus that the plants were operating at full capacity and that production had not been suspended or restricted.
Tajikistan currently has 16 cement plants. More than 80% of the country’s cement production is concentrated in three Tajik-Chinese joint ventures: Jungtsai Mohir Cement, Huaxin Gayur Cement and Huaxin Gayur Sughd Cement.
Meanwhile, additional production capacity is being developed. Orion Invest is building a new cement plant in Qubodiyon district of Khatlon province, which is expected to become the country’s largest, with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tons.
However, the reasons for the shortage in Bokhtar remain unclear. While manufacturers report stable or increasing output, residents and retailers say supplies are not reaching the market in sufficient quantities.