Tajikistan to Host Five International Conferences on Food, Textile, AI, Mines, Coal Industry in Second Half of 2026

Central Asia Monitoring Desk Islamabad

The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan invites international companies, investors, financial institutions, and business partners to participate in five major international industrial forums to be held in Dushanbe throughout the second half of 2026.

1- Food Industry Forum (20–21 August 2026)

2- International Textile Forum 22–23 Sep 2026

3- AI Conference 30–31 October 2026

4- International Mining and Metallurgy Forum Nov 2026

5- International Coal Industry Forum Dec 2026

Industrialization remains one of Tajikistan’s highest national priorities under the Accelerated Industrialization Strategy. Industrial output has more than doubled in recent years, reaching 66.7 billion somoni in 2025, with 22.1% real industrial growth in a single year. In 2025 alone, 396 new industrial enterprises and workshops were launched, creating more than 2,400 new jobs.

Tajikistan offers investors significant competitive advantages:

• 98% of electricity is generated from renewable hydropower;

• more than 240 investment guarantees and incentives, including 110 tax and customs benefits;

• 5 Special Economic Zones with extensive tax exemptions and land lease rates starting from US$1 per square metre annually;

• a strategic location connecting Central Asia, China and South Asia;

• a US$15.7 billion State Investment Program (2026–2030).

Food production reached 8.1 billion somoni in 2025, increasing by 12.3%, while agricultural exports reached a record US$450 million, growing by 18% and supplying more than 50 countries.

A large share of agricultural products is still exported without processing, although value-added processing can increase product value three to five times. Most Tajik food producers already possess internationally recognized food safety certifications.

Priority investment areas include:

• fruit and vegetable processing;

• dairy production;

• food packaging;

• food technologies;

• certification and quality standards.

The national objective is to increase food exports tenfold within five years.

Tajikistan’s textile industry includes over 500 enterprises employing around 18,000 workers. The first forum in 2025 attracted participants from more than 50 countries.

Currently only 30% of domestic cotton is processed inside the country, while 70% is exported as raw material. Approximately 95% of silk is exported without processing.

The Government aims to establish 10 integrated textile clusters, increasing textile exports from US$300 million to US$3 billion.

Investors benefit from:

• a 50% discount on industrial electricity tariffs;

• opportunities in cotton processing;

• silk production;

• garment manufacturing;

• access to markets across Central Asia, South Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The first AI Conference in 2025 generated US$117 million in agreements, with 20 cooperation agreements signed and participation from more than 400 delegates representing over 10 countries.

Tajikistan has become one of Central Asia’s emerging AI hubs by launching:

• Area AI — the world’s first dedicated Artificial Intelligence zone;

• an AI cluster powered by NVIDIA H200 infrastructure operating entirely on renewable hydropower;

• the National Cloud Center developed with Presight AI and zypl.ai;

• Central Asia’s first national AI Strategy extending to 2040.

Investment opportunities include:

• AI infrastructure;

• cloud technologies;

• digital innovation;

• research partnerships;

• AI education and workforce development.

The national target is for AI to contribute 5% of GDP by 2040.

Mining remains one of Tajikistan’s fastest-growing sectors, expanding by 36.2% in 2025 and increasing threefold over the past five years.The country has:

• more than 800 explored mineral deposits;

• production of over 50 minerals and metals.

Tajikistan ranks second globally in antimony production, supplying more than half of the European Union’s antimony imports.

In addition, the country possesses reserves of 10 of the world’s 12 critical minerals required for the global energy transition, including:

• lithium;

• niobium;

• tantalum;

• rare earth elements.

A total of 18 critical minerals listed by the United States, the European Union and China have been identified within Tajikistan.

Investment priorities include:

• mineral processing;

• metallurgy;

• rare-earth development;

• technology transfer;

• logistics for critical mineral exports.

Coal production reached 2.8 million tonnes in 2025, increasing by 10%, while coal exports expanded by 601% during the first half of 2025. Tajikistan is currently the second-largest coal producer in Central Asia and possesses an estimated 4.5 billion tonnes of coal resources.

Two strategic deposits stand out:

• Fon-Yagnob — the largest coking coal deposit in Central Asia, supplying raw material for the global metallurgical coke market valued at approximately US$126 billion, projected to reach US$166 billion by 2034.

• Nazar-Aylok — one of the world’s highest-quality anthracite deposits, suitable for producing synthetic graphite, carbon fibre, graphene, electrodes and advanced carbon materials used in batteries, electronics and aerospace industries.

Deep processing of coal into carbon materials offers estimated profit margins of 70–75%, substantially exceeding returns from raw coal exports.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has prepared a dedicated roadmap supporting the modernization of Tajikistan’s coal industry.

Investment opportunities include:

• deep coal processing;

• carbon materials production;

• technology transfer;

• logistics and international transport corridors.

Proven Results

The industrial forums have already demonstrated tangible outcomes. In 2025:

• the Textile Forum attracted participants from more than 50 countries;

• AI Conf generated US$117 million in agreements and launched Area AI;

• the Mining Forum welcomed over 300 participants and resulted in numerous memorandums and investment agreements.

Tajikistan aims to increase industry’s share of GDP to 26% by 2026 and 30% by 2030, making the 2026 Industrial Forums a key platform for developing international partnerships, attracting foreign direct investment, transferring advanced technologies and expanding industrial cooperation.