DUSHANBE, July 22, 2010, Asia-Plus — During Islamic holy month of Ramadan, prices of basic food products in the country will decrease at least by 10 percent, Sirojiddin Valiyev, an official with Tojikmatlubot (consumers’ cooperative society), announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 21.
According to him, even this spring’s disasters have not affected harvests and cannot impact farm produce prices.
This year, Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins in Tajikistan on August 11. It is to be noted that usually, merchants running their shops at Dushanbe’s bazaars raise prices of basic food products such as meat, milk and sugar ahead of holy month of Ramadan and the prices remain unchanged until the next Ramadan.
Valiyev noted that Tojikmatloubot’s enterprises have produced a total of 81.1 million somoni worth of products over the first six months of this year, which was 2.9 million somoni more than in the same period last year.
“Over the report period, we have exported 2,399 tons of vegetables, 108 tons of dried fruits, nuts and beans to Russia, Afghanistan and other countries,” said the Tojikmatlubot official, “Over the same six-month period, we have imported wheat flour, sugar and timber.”
In January-June 2010, consumer cooperatives have built 2,162 shops and 481 public catering facilities as well as created 747 new jobs, Valiyev said.
