DUSHANBE, April 28, Asia-Plus — Meat prices at Dushanbe’s markets have hit a new high over the past several days.
As of April 27, beef is being sold for 25.00 somoni per one kilogram, up nearly 14 percent since the end of last week. As of April 23, the price of one kilogram of beef at Dushanbe’s bazaars was 22.00 somoni. The price of one kilogram of mutton rose from 25.00 somoni on April 23 to 27.00 somoni on April 27.
In the meantime, residents say that at some bazaars, the meat prices are even higher.
Yesterday, Asia-Plus’s reporter visited 20 butcher’s shops in Dushanbe’s neighborhood 33 and the majority of them were closed. Butchers refused to give comments on the price kikes.
Some people attribute meat price hikes to the ban on keeping livestock in Dushanbe. We will recall that the “Capital City” law adopted in 2009 stipulates that residents of Dushanbe no longer are bale to keep livestock.
Dushanbe resident Muhammadqul Yorov told Asia-Plus that he had formerly kept several head of cattle. “I had been able to provide my family with milk and butcher’s shops with fresh meat, while now I have to buy everything at bazaar,” he noted.
In the meantime, Rahmatullo Karimov, controller with the Somon bazaar in the Giprozem area, told Asia-Plus yesterday that meat prices at their bazaar remain the same. “We sell beef for 22.00 somoni per one kilogram and mutton for 25.00 somoni per kilogram,” he said.
In the meantime, Fayzullo Tilloyev, a chef specialist with the cattle raising department at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), says the meat price hike has resulted from increasing prices for mixed fodders. “Current price of one kilogram of mixed fodders in Tajikistan is 1.82 somoni.” According to him, such a situation may continue until cattle is turned out to pastures on May 10 or 15.
Local specialists say the meat price hike has also resulted from increasing gasoline prices in the country.
