MOSCOW, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Russian aluminium producer Rusal said on Friday its first-half net profit jumped to $2.0 billion from a loss of $124 million a year ago due to higher sales and stronger prices for the metal.

Hong-Kong listed Rusal, the world's third largest aluminium producer behind China's Chinalco and Hongqiao , increased its January-June sales by 6% year on year, while the average price for a tonne of aluminium rose by 30%.

Rusal sells the metal, used in construction and electronics among other industries, to Europe, the United States and Asia. It has been hit by Russia's government decision to raise export taxes for the country's metals producers for August-December.

Rusal said in June that the 15% export tax on aluminium exports, or a minimum of $254 a tonne, would cost it several hundred million dollars this year and may lead to lower 2021 sales.

Rusal's board recommended not to pay dividends for the first half of 2021, the company added in a statement on Friday. (Reporting by Polina Devitt; editing by Elaine Hardcastle)