DUSHANBE, June 9, 2011, Asia-Plus — On completion of the fifth session of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament), the Majlisi Milli Speaker Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, who is also Mayor of Dushanbe, today called on regional administrators to support his initiative on curbing food price hike.
According to him, after the Dushanbe municipal government has taken a number of measures to cut meat prices, butchers have begun to take off meat to districts subordinate to the center and Khatlon province.
“By my order a group of specialists from the Dushanbe mayor’s office have visited Danghara district to monitor food prices there,” said the mayor, “It turned out that beef and lamb there have been sold at 25.00 and 26.00 somoni per kilogram respectively.”
He reminded that to curb rise in prices of basic food products the Dushanbe mayor’s office has provided a 4 million somoni interest-free credit.
A network of butcher’s shops, Mir Myasa (Meat World), has been opened in Dushanbe. These butcher’s shops reportedly sell meat at 23.00 somoni per kilogram. It is to be noted that meat of low quality may be bought at the same price at Dushanbe’s bazaars as well, but if you want good meat you will have to pay for it at 27.00 somoni per kilogram.
We will recall that in early May, the Dushanbe mayor called on market traders to lower the prices they charge for flour, beef, and lamb, following a spike in the cost of basic food items. Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev said beef should cost no more than 23.00 somoni and lamb no more than 24.00 somoni per kilogram.
Beef and lamb prices rose in early may from 20.00 and 21.00 somoni to 27 and 28 somoni per kilogram.
Food prices in Tajikistan have risen dramatically due to increase in the price of fuel and the U.S. dollar”s rise against the local currency, the somoni.
