Over the first six months of this year, Tajikistan has increased its imports of wheat and flour, rice, potatoes, fruits, and dairy products. Despite reports from authorized bodies indicating that the domestic production of these products has also risen, the country has seen a significant rise in imports.
According to a press release from the Committee for Food Security under the Government of Tajikistan, Tajikistan has purchased more than 457,000 tons of wheat over the reporting period, which is 17,800 tons more than the same period last year.
The import of flour also increased to 32,600 tons, which is almost 2,500 tons more than the first half of last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture reported that as of July 1, 2024, all categories of farms in Tajikistan have grown more than 685,000 tons of grain, which is 19,000 tons less than the same period last year.
It is noteworthy that this year, Tajik farmers have planted grain crops on area of 388,700 hectares, which is 2,600 hectares less than the previous agricultural season.
The press release also mentions an increase in rice imports, up by 3,600 tons to a total of 18,900 tons in January-June this year.
Rice in Tajikistan is harvested in the fall, so there are no production figures yet for this year. However, according to reports from previous years, the country annually harvests up to 150,000 tons of rice. Rice is mainly grown as a second crop after the grain harvest, so a reduction in grain sowing also impacts rice production.
Potato imports have significantly risen this year. In January-June this year, Tajikistan has reportedly imported more than 56,000 tons of potatoes, which is 30,700 tons more than the same period last year.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, potato production in Tajikistan has risen 2.0 percent over the same six-month period compared to the same period last year, amounting to 267,000 tons.
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade forecasts that Tajikistan plans to harvest over 1.1 million tons of potatoes this year, which should fully meet the country’s annual requirements in potatoes.
Despite a 21% increase in fruit harvests, reaching 40,000 tons, Tajikistan has also imported an equivalent amount of about 40,000 tons of various fruits from other countries, which is 17,400 tons more than in the first half of 2023.
In addition, Tajikistan imported over 6,000 tons of dairy products over the reporting period, which is 1,000 tons more than in the same period last year, even though domestic milk production increased by 5.0 percent or 19,000 tons. Tajikistan annually produces over 1 million tons of milk.
It is worth noting that the American credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) highlighted in its latest report that rising global prices would increase risks for developing markets, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
