DUSHANBE, November 27, Asia-Plus, 2013, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s grain imports have reportedly decreased.
Specialists from the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Ghalla (grain products) say grain imports have decreased following increase in domestic production of cereals.
Over the first ten months of this year, Tajikistan has imported 501,099 tons of wheat and 178,100 tons of wheat flour from Kazakhstan, which is 17% and 37% fewer respectively than in the same period last year, an official source at Ghalla said.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), grain crops have been planted this year on 297,691 hectares and more than 1.2 million tons of cereals have been harvested this year, which is 121,700 tons more than last year. A totaled reportedly includes 800,000 of wheat, which is 106,300 tons more than in 2012.
Over the same ten-month period, Tajikistan has reportedly produced 934,700 tons of wheat flour, which is 2 percent more than in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, export prices for wheat flour decreased slightly from September. As of November 1, 2013, an average export price for one ton of Kazakh-produced 3rd class wheat was US$220.00, US$60.00 lower than in September. In August, an average export price for one ton of Kazakh-produced 3rd class wheat was US$345.00.
Despite the fall in the purchasing prices in Kazakhstan, the price for a 50-kilogram sack of Kazakh-produced wheat flour remains practically the same at Dushanbe’s markets – 130-135 somoni.
