Who profits from eggs in Tajikistan?

Prices for eggs at retail outlets in Tajikistan have increased to 2.00 somonis per piece, while poultry farms sell them for 1.25 somonis apiece.  Taking into account the increase in cost, producers receive from3 to 5 dirams from each egg, while merchants receive almost 20 times more.  

Abdusaid Jaloliddinov, director of Ganji Hilol, commonly known as Tukhmi Faizobod, says they sell eggs for 1.25 somonis apiece. 

“We are surprised by the prices of eggs at retail outlets,” Jaloliddinov told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, merchants have screwed up prices and current average price for eggs at retail outlets is 1.70 somonis apiece.   

Compared to the beginning of the year, egg prices in Dushanbe have risen 65percent and in the regions almost 100 percent.  

Current average price for eggs in Dushanbe is 1.70 somonis apiece, while in the region, current average price for eggs is about 2.00 somonis.  

At the beginning of the year, eggs were sold at retail outlets in Dushanbe for 0.85 somoni apiece and up to 1.00 somoni in the regions.  

Producers say the price hike has resulted from the rising cost of poultry compound feed.  

The Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan says the negative impact of external factors has contributed to the rise in the price of eggs.  

Experts partially agree with the opinion of the Antimonopoly agency.  However, they note that there are also internal factors contributing to the rise in the price of eggs in the country, first of all, this is the trade margin set by merchants.   

It is to be noted that Tajikistan produced more than 800 million pieces of eggs last year and 576.1 million pieces of eggs over the first six months of this year, which is 24.5 percent more than in the same period last year.