DUSHANBE, March 19, Asia-Plus — Although many local experts expect post-crisis inflation to hit the country, prices of the majority of basic food products have practically remained unchanged since the beginning of the year. Moreover, prices of some food products have been reduced.
Thus, an average price of one kilogram of beef on Dushanbe’s Shohmansour market has not changed since last December and fluctuates from 14 to 15 somonis. The price of one kilogram of potatoes has also remained the same, fluctuating from 1 to 1.5 somonis. The price of one kilogram of sugar is 2.5 somonis, the price of one kilogram of rice is 3.5-4.0 somonis. The price of one liter of vegetable and cooking (cotton) oil fluctuates from 6.5 to 10 somonis, depending on producer, and the cost of eggs is 0.5-06 somoni per piece.
The prices of wheat flour have even been reduced. The price for a 50-kilogram of degree 1 wheat flour has been reduced from 120 somonis in last December to 105 somonis on March 19.
In the meantime, prices of some food products have risen on average 40 percent since the beginning of the year. The price of one kilogram of onions has risen 40 percent, reaching 1.0 somonis. The price of one kilogram of carrots has risen from 0.5 somoni to 0.8 somonis, and the price one liter of milk has risen from 1.75 somonis to 2.5 somonis.
We will recall that on February 25, the United Nations appealed, on behalf of the Government of Tajikistan, for nearly $25 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs arising from the most severe winter in 25 years and to avoid foreseeable life-threatening situation during spring and early summer.
