BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr. 21
By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan’s Azermash OJSC produced the cars in the first quarter of 2020 by 41 percent more than in the same period of 2019, First Deputy Chairman of board of the company Zaur Hajiyev told Trend on April 21.
Hajiyev stressed that the company has produced 672 cars since the beginning of the year till April 20, 2020.
"Some 4,000 cars were planned to be produced till late 2020, but given the situation worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, this figure may be reviewed,” the first deputy chairman added. “We have produced 3,724 cars since the opening of Azermash plant up till now, and 400 cars were produced in the first quarter of 2019."
“The cars were planned to be exported to Ukraine for the first time in April 2020,” Hajiyev added. "But it was postponed till May due to a number of logistical problems. We also plan to export the cars to Uzbekistan in 2020. But it’s too early to talk about the timing."
The first deputy chairman also touched on the issue related to the demand for electric cars in the Azerbaijani domestic market.
"Today, there is a small demand for electric cars in the local market, but Azerbaijan is able to create the necessary infrastructure in the near future to partially use electric cars up to 50 percent," the first deputy chairman said.
While speaking about the prospects for expanding production, Hajiyev stressed that the construction of a plant for the production of small trucks and minibuses in the Hajigabul industrial zone, which is expected to be completed by summer 2020, is underway.
"According to our estimates, the construction of this plant will be completed by June 2020,” Hajiyev added. “The share of Azermash in the construction of a plant for the production of small trucks will be 100 percent."
The official opening of Azermash plant was held on March 29, 2018. The founders of the plant are Iranian Iran Khodro and Azerbaijani AzEuroCar. The plant operates in the Neftchali industrial zone in southeastern Azerbaijan. All cars produced at the plant comply with Euro-5 standards.
The investments in the establishment of the plant at the first stage amounted to $15 million.
----
Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva
