DUSHANBE, February 7, 2011, Asia-Plus — A new flour price hike has been reported in Tajikistan.
According to the findings of monitoring conducted by specialists from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) at bazaars across the country, wholesale prices for wheat and flour rose 3.9 percent on average last week.
The price for a 50-kilogram sack of Kazakh grade 1 wheat flour at Dushanbe’s bazaars has risen from 120.00 somoni in late January to 130.00-135.00 somoni. In the provinces, current price for a 50-kilogram sack of Kazakh grad 1 wheat flour is 140.00 somoni.
Prices for local wheat flour have also risen over the report period: prices of Tajik grade 1 flour have risen 1.7 percent and prices of Tajik grade 2 flour have risen 3.6 percent. Current prices are 117.00 somoni for a 50-kilogram sack of Tajik grade 1 flour and 101.50 somoni for a 50-kilogram sack of Tajik grade 2 flour.
The source at the Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan says the price hike has resulted from increasing international prices of wheat
“Kazakhstan is one of world’s largest grain producers and exporters and grade traders in this country respond to the world wheat trends,” the source said.
It is to be noted Kazakhstan accounts for more than 60 percent of Tajikistan’s grain and wheat imports.
In the meantime, the Ghalla (grain products) director Taghoymurod Sharipov noted that it could be ruled out that the international wheat prices would continue to rise until May. “Everything depends on this year’s crop yield. If this year is dry, prices will continue to rise,” the Ghalla director said.
In 2010, Tajikistan imported 442,800 tons of wheat (39,000 tons more than in 2009) and 371,600 tons of flour (3,000 tons more than in 2009).
Current Tajikistan’s annual requirements in cereals amount to more than 1.6 million tons. According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Agriculture, all categories of farms last year produced 1.261 million tons of cereals, including 911,821 tons of wheat.
